We are excited to announce the next event in our lecture series where we will have Dr. Zhitao Lyu, the founder of Aurora Navigation discussing their latest advancements in the use of cellular phones for surveying and mapping.
Complete details below, hope to see you all there.
Title: Cellphones in Modern Surveying and Mapping: From Point Measurement to SLAM-based Workflows
Author: Dr. Zhitao Lyu
Bio: Zhitao Lyu is the founder of Aurora Navigation, a Calgary-based company focused on developing and delivering innovative GNSS solutions. He earned his PhD in Geomatics Engineering from the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary in 2023. Zhitao has over 10 years of experience in geospatial technologies spanning both industry and academia.
Abstract: Smartphones have traditionally been viewed as consumer devices unsuitable for high-accuracy surveying tasks. However, recent advances in mobile computing, sensor performance, and SLAM technologies are redefining their role in professional surveying and mapping workflows. The transition from traditional point-based surveying to SLAM-based spatial data capture will be discussed. With rapid advances in GNSS-visual-inertial SLAM and mobile processing capabilities, the industry is witnessing a shift toward more efficient and flexible surveying methodologies. A brief overview of Aurora Navigation’s system architecture and workflow design will be presented. By leveraging the computing power and multi-sensor capabilities of modern smartphones, such integrated system enable high-accuracy positioning and 3D mapping in an efficient workflow. Practical use cases will be discussed, including:
– Point survey and stakeout
– Remote point measurement
– 3D reconstruction and reality capture
– Earthwork volume estimation
– Surveying in GNSS-challenged or GNSS-denied environments
The presentation will also explore research-oriented applications, such as generating ground truth for handheld smartphone positioning experiments, performing precise level-arm calibration, and capturing synchronized multi-sensor raw datasets for SLAM research. Together, this presentation illustrates how redefining the role of the cellphone enables new operational role of smartphones in modern surveying and mapping.
Location: Room 231 – Engineering Block F (ENG), University of Calgary Campus
Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Time: Meeting will open at 11:45am, presentation to begin shortly after 12:00
Cost: $20 non-members, $18 members, $15 graduate students, $10 undergraduate students, includes a light lunch and refreshments. All proceeds go towards two annual scholarships for students attending the University of Calgary.
Remote viewing option available upon request. If you plan to attend, please RSVP so that we can plan accordingly.