Wyoming drone pilot helps to find unmarked graves

Haye Kesteloo
August 27, 2020
Discovered by Drone, Amazon, Parrot, South Dakota, Wyoming, Yuneec

A Wyoming drone pilot and State geologists help to find unmarked graves and map the Cedar Hills Cemetery at Fort Pierre in South Dakota this week.

Wyoming drone pilot helps to find unmarked graves

The burial coordinator, Dustin Loyd at the South Dakota Archaeological Research Center in Rapid City says that the records on who is buried where in the centuries-old cemetery have not consistently been kept up to date.

finding the unmarked graves at the Cedar Hills Cemetery is not an exact science, Lyod says but there are some hints and clues. He added that when they do find a potential unmarked grave the spot is marked for later research.

FAA-certified, Wyoming drone pilot Chris Leatherman from Gillette said that mapping out cemeteries is a somewhat new use case for drones. Leatherman is also the adjunct instructor in drone and GIS studies for the University of Denver, reports DRGNews.

Last year, the Fort Pierre City Council asked for input from the public about whether the town should keep selling plots at the Cedar Hills Cemetery. This sparked the interest in locating the unmarked graves at the centuries-old cemetery. Accurately mapping the area with the help of drones will help to determine how much space is currently available for sale.

You can read more stories about discoveries that have been made with the help of drones here.

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Photo credits: Jody Heemstra and Chris Leatherman

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Haye Kesteloo

Haye Kesteloo is a leading drone industry expert and Editor in Chief of DroneXL.co and EVXL.co, where he covers drone technology, industry developments, and electric mobility trends. With over nine years of specialized coverage in unmanned aerial systems, his insights have been featured in The New York Times, The Financial Times, and cited by The Brookings Institute, Foreign Policy, Politico and others.

Before founding DroneXL.co, Kesteloo built his expertise at DroneDJ. He currently co-hosts the PiXL Drone Show on YouTube and podcast platforms, sharing industry insights with a global audience. His reporting has influenced policy discussions and been referenced in federal documents, establishing him as an authoritative voice in drone technology and regulation. He can be reached at haye @ dronexl.co or @hayekesteloo.