Introduction to Space Archaeology; Atlas of Remote Sensing for World Heritage: China; Spatial Observation of Giant Panda Habitat; Case Studies on Digital Management of Immovable Cultural Relics and Archaeological Sites.
Discovery of Archaeological Sites by Remote Sensing for the First Time along the Silk Road; Ten Discovered Sites in Southern Tunisia; Field Verification of the Site of a Retaining Dam.
Space Archaeology Supports the World Heritage Nomination of the Xixia Imperial Tombs
Spatial Archaeological Research on the Middle Segment of Southern Silk Road
Remote Sensing Archaeology of the Han Dynasty Great Wall Defense System
Digital Mapping and Preventive Conservation of the Ming Great Wall Post-Earthquake Recovery and Sustainable Development of the Jiuzhaigou World Heritage Site Satellite Remote Sensing Monitoring of World Heritage Sites in Syria after Local Conflicts Heritage Management.
Digital Mapping and Preventive Conservation of the Ming Dynasty Great Walls
Post-Earthquake Recovery and Sustainable Development of the Jiuzhaigou World Heritage Site
Satellite Remote Sensing Monitoring of World Heritage Sites in Syria after Local Conflicts
Precise digitization of heritage enables the accurate preservation of scientific data for complex and existing heritage sites, and constitutes an essential component of heritage archiving. The HIST research team has applied an integrated approach combining terrestrial laser scanning, close-range photogrammetry, and virtual reality technologies to conduct high-precision digital surveying of the Tower of Buddhist Incense (Foxiangge) in Beijing Summer Palace. A three-dimensional information management system for complex historical buildings has been established, documenting the current condition and historical information of the structure, and providing a digital solution for panoramic presentation and scientific management of complex architectural heritage.
Digitization for Conservation of Urban Cultural Heritage at Gulangyu
Fine Mapping of the Tower of Buddhist Incense at Beijing Summer Palace
3D Visualization System of the Ziyuan Site of the Great Walls’ Xinjiang section
The core mission of HIST is to promote space-based observation and understanding of World Heritage sites. Over nearly a decade of development, HIST has gradually established a comprehensive heritage conservation system encompassing archiving, protection, management, monitoring, and assessment. Integrated demonstration studies have been carried out at key sites such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the Grand Canal, and Bagan in Myanmar, paving the way for intelligent and holistic management solutions for a broader range of heritage sites.
Comprehensive Remote Sensing Monitoring of the Beijing Section of the Grand Canal Cultural Heritage
Assessment of the Impact of Climate Change on Giant Panda Habitats
Remote Sensing for Environment of Angkor Site
Leveraging Earth Big Data to support the sustainable development of heritage sites is a strategic focus for the future. Building a scientific platform based on Earth Big Data and space technologies aims to position HIST at the forefront of innovation in the field of heritage sustainability. This initiative is a key contribution by HIST to the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Research on Synergies between World Heritage Conservation and SDGs Implementation
iSTEP: Integrated Solution for Synergistic Achievement of Multiple SDGs
People and Nature in UNESCO-designated Sites: Global and Local Contributions (UNESCO, 2026)
Copyright © 2026 International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage under the auspices of UNESCO.
Beijing ICP Filing No. 05002788-3
