About 5 miles west of the Nile river in the desert city of Giza, Egypt lies the last remaining ancient wonder of the world, the Giza Pyramids.  At the site are the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure, the Great Sphinx, and smaller pyramid structures.  The Great Pyramid, also known as Khufu’s Pyramid is the largest and oldest of the pyramids.  Egyptologist estimate that it took up to 20 years to build and was finally finished in 2560BC.  There is much that archeologists have been able to discern about the pyramids, but the ancient structures still hold many untold mysteries.

In ancient Egypt the pharaoh was considered to be far more than a king.  He was the living embodiment of a god.  When that pharaoh died his body had to live in a tomb fit for a god.  So the ancient Egyptians built pyramids, structures designed to last for an eternity, and filled them with the treasures of their pharaoh.  One of the biggest mysteries surrounding the pyramids of Giza is how they were built without the use of modern technology.  Archeologists also wonder what other secrets might be found inside of the pyramids that have been hidden from the world for over 4,000 years.

There have been many archeological expeditions into the grounds surrounding the pyramids.  However learning about the rest of the giant structures have been difficult.  You cannot simply start drilling holes into the pyramids without knowing exactly what you will find, the risk to the ancient structures are too great.  Hisham Zazou, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism, stated “Previous expeditions in the 1980s didn’t have the technology we have today.”  In 2016 a new program led by scientist from Egypt, Japan, and France began the Scan Pyramids Project.  Armed with technology like drones with laser scanners they set out to uncover some of the secrets hidden in the pyramids. 

The first step in this project was to find a way to see what lay behind the massive stones rising up to the sky.  A standard X-ray would not work as the rays wouldn’t be able to pass through stone.  So the team had to design a scanner that could sends out muons that would be able to penetrate the stone and reveal any anomalies inside the pyramid.  The next question was how the team was to find a way to get their muon radiography scanner around and up the pyramid.  Climbing up the sides of the pyramid was out of the question, so they designed their scanner to be able to attach to a drone.

In a short matter of time the team was able to fly the drone completely around Khufu’s Pyramid.  The scanner captured images of what lay behind the dense stones and the scientists were able to use these images to construct 3D maps.  What they found was astonishing.  The muons revealed an anomaly that matched what had been previously scanned of the pyramid’s grand gallery, an area that they know is an open space.  The scans taken with the drone showed them a void up high in the pyramid.  In fact, they found similar voids in all of the pyramids in the complex. 

Now that the teams had uncovered these voids a whole new array of questions arise.  What are the purpose of these voids?  Are they meant to be chambers for the pharaoh’s spirit life, treasure troves, or simply part of the architectural design to improve stability.  For hundreds of years the Pyramids of Giza have filled people with wonder and awe.  Hany Helal, vice president of the Heritage Innovation Preservation Institute, which runs the Scan Pyramid Project said, “For the time being we cannot allow ourselves to start drilling bore holes into the void.  We need to continue the research with nondestructive techniques, which will allow us to have a complete picture of what is inside.” Certified drone companies can play an important role in such missions to properly fly the drones without any damage and get the most accurate scans.

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