Surveillance Systems

Military Surveillance Systems

Military surveillance systems have evolved consistently over the past several years and continue to evolve today, due to constantly improving technology and the military's need for the most up-to-date surveillance equipment. No matter what branch of military, each has their own types of surveillance systems, each varying slightly. The complexity of these systems makes each one unique, and therefor relatively undetectable by enemies. Different types of military surveillance systems include aerial digital photography, underwater heat detection systems, and newer technologies involving unmanned aircraft, to list a few.

Unmanned aircraft are being used more and more for covert operations in all branches of military, and are slowly being implemented in border patrol operations for homeland protection. It is easy to understand why unmanned military surveillance systems would be desirable over a system that puts real human being system operators in danger, but there are many other advantages of an unmanned system. For one, there is not as much weight or fuel needed for unmanned aerial vehicles, as these machines have no compartments for military personnel or their gear, making it simpler for engineers to keep the weight and noise of these aircraft to an extreme minimum.

Surveillance From a Distance

Military surveillance systems, much like an IP security camera, have advanced so much so quickly that very little of the military's surveillance operations involve humans being put directly in harm's way. Many of the operations conducted by the military employ the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. These aircraft can be outfitted with many different configurations to conduct operations that would otherwise be fairly dangerous if humans were present in the aircraft. Some configurations include area mapping and 3D imaging equipment which sets the stage for surveying a specific area from a distance. Unmanned aerial vehicles can reach altitudes of well over 30,000 feet, making them virtually undetectable, and a valuable resource for the military's security operations.

Other configurations for unmanned aerial vehicles used for surveying areas use high tech wireless video cameras which survey an area with high quality graphics and allows the operator a live bird's-eye view of a target area. Having a vehicle that can observe activities from many miles away without being detected is what makes military surveillance systems so effective. A system also exists that can be added to an unmanned aerial vehicle's configuration which is capable of seeing through the foliage of a tree canopy enabling it to detect movement on the ground. This gives a great advantage when surveillance and stealth are key in the success of an operation.

There are other means by which activity can be viewed from a distance. Satellites that orbit the earth everyday take thousands of pictures of our planet, and many different governments have access to them. The type of camera aboard these satellites is so advanced, that they can zoom in to the point of being able to pinpoint the location of any coordinate typed remotely into the satellite's operating system, giving a tremendous advantage to anyone able to operate the satellite.

Homeland Applications

As military surveillance systems constantly advance, some declassified systems are beginning to be put towards surveillance right here at home. New technology is implemented making old technology obsolete for a survey mission, but that old technology is then applied to the extensive measures that are already taken when protecting homeland countries. A concern in the United States might be border patrol. There are military surveillance systems that are capable of detecting movement, sounding an alarm, viewing the source of the movement, then dispatching personnel to neutralize the intruder. You could even take out the personnel factor and neutralize the target by using the unmanned vehicle technology available to us today.

Other applications of these systems would mainly consist of outdoor systems, simply because so many of military operations take place in such a setting. The equipment used by the military is typically rugged and can withstand extremes in cold, hot, or otherwise inclement weather, making them extremely versatile and accurate when compared to civilian monitoring equipment.

Another advantage of applying the military's technology to civilian survey operations is the knowledge that this equipment has been tested in rigorous conditions and proven to be effective. The failure of equipment at a crucial time is an all too common occurrence in the civilian world, but since the introduction of military surveillance systems into the civilian monitoring market, failure in a system should be relatively non-existent.

Military surveillance systems have revolutionized the way armies keep track of their enemies, how a country's homeland is protected, and how the future of our monitoring capabilities will advance and continue to do so. Being well-versed in the operations of this type of system will prove to not only be valuable, but could also directly contribute to the well-being of the people around you, as well as yourself.