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Central European archaeological landscapes, the use of aerial and satellite data, or the relationship between archaeology and the environment. These are the areas that this year's 43rd annual meeting of the Aerial Archaeology Research Group (AARG) will focus on. The international conference will connect experts from around the world and cover current topics in the field. From September 10 to 11, participants can look forward to a range of expert lectures, presentations, and discussions at the Museum of West Bohemia in Pilsen. On Saturday, September 12, the program will conclude with an all-day field excursion to selected archaeological sites.

This year, the conference will focus, for example, on the Bohemian Massif and the Western Carpathians, as well as other Central European landscapes. Archaeologists will have the opportunity to present their latest research. The protection of urban archaeological heritage and changes in the historical landscape will also be discussed, along with the potential of using aerial and satellite data to explore archaeological monuments in built-up environments.

Technologies that allow archaeologists to acquire large amounts of spatial data will also be a topic of the meeting. These include airborne laser scanning (LiDAR), drones, satellite imagery, new sensors, and spatial analysis. Furthermore, discussions will cover the potential use of artificial intelligence for the automated detection of archaeological structures.

At the end of the conference, participants will head directly into the field. An all-day excursion awaits them to the sites of Horní Beřkovice, Kostomlaty pod Řípem, Budyně nad Ohří, and Terezín. A guided tour of Pilsen and the Brewery Museum will also be part of the accompanying program. Details about the program and individual thematic blocks are available on the conference website.

The international meeting dedicated to aerial archaeology is organized by the Department of Archaeology at the Faculty of Arts of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, together with AARG and the Museum of West Bohemia in Pilsen. "For the department, this is a significant opportunity for the further development of international cooperation and the presentation of Czech research. Thus, for a few September days, Pilsen will become a meeting place for archaeologists who use views from above, spatial data, and cutting-edge technologies to uncover traces of the past hidden in the landscape," summarized Lenka Starková, Head of the Center for Digital Archaeology at the UWB Faculty of Arts.

The Department of Archaeology at the UWB Faculty of Arts has long engaged in processing spatial archaeological data, using geographic information systems, aerial photography, and other digital methods. Moreover, since 2025, a specialized Center for Digital Archaeology has been providing modern facilities for research, teaching, and international cooperation there.