US Spy Flies To Gain New Eyes

New Scientist reports that a new microchip-sized digital camera, developed by the California Institute of Technology using funding from NASA and the Pentagon, has been patented and is expected to replace current camera technology on the tiny spy drones.
source

It just gets worse every day. The cameras get smaller and easier to hide and our privacy becomes more endangered. Probably won't be too long until these things are buzzing around everywhere. For our safety, of course.

According to the article, the revolutionary aspect of the design is that the new size means that the main power drain on existing minicams - connecting the chips for the sensors and support circuitry - is no longer necessary, making the new remote controlled camera use much less energy, and therefore be more suited for secret surveillance missions.

The gadget can be radio-controlled via a secure frequency-hopping link from up to a kilometre away, say its inventors.
source

So, from up to a kilometer away, they can just send these things anywhere they please, and thanks to the new design, they're much more energy efficient. Wonderful...


TA

reply to post by TheAssociate
Hiya TA, there's a similar Schrodinger thread in a different section Spying roboflies.....

I think the New Scientist article is a filler; as revenue and job ads fall maybe there'll be more tenuous articles? I'm a NS subscriber and they do throw the odd bad article in there...

The Patent reflects possibilities that don't seem currently available through our technology. By patenting them, I think it protects the concept in readiness for the time they become reality.