Surveillance technology has advanced from manual and tedious ground-level video capture limited to where people could travel, to elevated but limited automatic capture, and now to continuous 24/7 video capture of any point on Earth using swarm mini-satellites. Key developments included improved image sensors, broadband communication, avionics, inertial sensors, materials, batteries, solar panels and lower-cost electronics that have enabled more functions in smaller packages using less power.

1. The Progress of Surveillance
From 1900 to 2013

2. ?what's next
Manual video capture at ground level, a labourious and
tedious process. Limited to where man can travel.
1 2
3
4
Automatic capture at elevated level but capturing is
limited to selected locations
Automatic capture from top and offers freedom to
roam around within a certain boundaries
Automatic capture from top and offers freedom to
view any open surface on Earth but with limited time
window
* Invention of CCD/CMOS image
sensor
* Broadband communication
* Improved sw control & avionics
* Solid-state IMU, gyroscope
* Advanced material
* Fuel cell battery
* Solar panel
* Electronics -> More functions,
smaller size, lower power, lower price

3. Swarm mini-satellites
Continuous 24/7 video capture of any point on Earth.