Department of Geomatics Engineering
Gérard Lachapelle
FRSC, FCAE, FION (Fellow Institute of Navigation)
Professor
- Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Wireless Location
- Telephone: (403) 220-7104
- E-mail: gerard [dot] lachapelle [at] ucalgary [dot] ca Lachapelle [at] geomatics [dot] ucalgary [dot] ca
- Personal HomePage
- Summary of research activities
- BSc (Laval) 1971
- MSc (Oxford) 1972
- LPh (Helsinki) 1973
- Dr-techn (Graz) 1975
DR LACHAPELLE'S research deals mainly with the development of satellite and ground-based RF and non-RF methods for wireless location, navigation and positioning.
As a result of his work, several software packages have been developed and are currently being licensed to various industrial and government groups world-wide through University Technologies International, a wholly-own subsidiary of The University of Calgary. The many novel applications of satellite positioning in which Dr. Lachapelle has been involved include precision farming, aircraft-to-aircraft positioning, vehicular navigation, shipborne positioning and attitude determination. He is widely published in this area and he has received major awards for his research contributions. Dr. Lachapelle is also involved in teaching professional courses related to satellite positioning and navigation. He holds a CRC/iCORE Chair in Wireless Location since early 2001.
Current research activities are as follows:
1. Outdoor/indoor wireless location for personal applications using RF and augmented RF sensors.
2. Combination of the Global Positioning System (GPS) with the European Union's GALILEO system to improve navigation and positioning availability, reliability and accuracy.
3. Development and testing of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) methods and algorithms for multiple reference stations carrier phase ambiguity resolution which is key to improving three-dimensional cm-level accuracy real-time kinematic positioning.
Consulting activities/interests:
- Consulting to national and foreign industrial and government groups in several areas of GPS equipment evaluation and system applications.
- Professional courses on GPS theory and applications given to research engineers and surveyors.
Other professional activities:
- Technical Editor (Navigation), IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems, since 2003
- Past President, Canadian Institute of Geomatics, and Past President, Association of Canada Lands Surveyors
- Past Chair, Canadian Navigation Society, Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute
- Western Vice President, U.S.-based Institute of Navigation, 2002-2003
- Chair, Alberta Section of U.S.-based Institute of Navigation, 1999 - present