Remote Sensing Drones for Advanced Urban Regeneration Strategies. The Case of San José de Chamanga in Ecuador

Abstract

This paper presents part of the University UTE of Quito’s post-earthquake reconstruction project “Arquitectura en movimiento en San Josè de Chamanga”, on using UAVs and specifically the drone Mavic Pro 2, as an innovative tool to terrestrial surveying for post-disaster areas. It describes how the provision of a real-time and high-resolution imagery of the remote areas of San José de Chamanga might assist in defining its urban form, map places that today are not accessible and document the local built heritage. Following this logic, the study argues that the mapped data could become a pivotal tool to the creation of an urban/ architectural construction manual that has a dual role: on the one hand, it could provide locals with guides and standards during self-construction, assisted self-construction, and construction with technical assistance. On the other hand, it reveals architectural and urban elements of the researched area.