To learn about the latest in surveillance technology, look no further than the U.S. Military. When it comes to the defense of the country, the government – equipment wise – pulls out all the stops.

Now the U.S. Army is shopping around for an amazing surveillance camera; an unmanned aircraft-mounted marvel, that would capture a 62-square-mile area in real-time and with great resolution from end to end. Even more impressive, the surveillance camera will have the ability to see at night by infrared light.

Rumor has it that this surveillance technology is only a few years away. Technology is advancing so quickly – and surveillance equipment is becoming increasingly smaller and lighter – that the goal is within reach.

The Air Force is already building a “flying eye” called the Gorgon Stare on a lesser scale, and it plans to flight test the surveillance system next year. The Gorgon Stare surveillance camera covers about 25 square miles. The price tag for an order of 10 systems is about $150 million. The Gorgon Stare will be mounted under the nose of a Reaper unmanned aircraft.

Reapers are often used by the military for surveillance, mostly vehicle tracking, or to hover over buildings and watch for escaping insurgents. These surveillance subjects are easily lost when they move out of range of current video sensors, which have a single field of view. With the Gorgon Stare, the range is wider, and it will have a set of 12 surveillance cameras. Up to 12 controllers can each run a camera angle, from a remote location, for an independent view.

As impressive as the Gorgon Stare sounds, the Army’s dream airborne surveillance camera is a taller order. The Army is looking for real-time surveillance over a much larger territory, with 2.3 gigapixels clarity (the closest sensor is currently 1.8 gigapixel resolution). With infrared range, (the ability to see warm objects like people and animals hiding under cover in the dark) the surveillance camera would be able to illuminate people and they wouldn’t be aware that they are seen.

Once the surveillance technology becomes a reality for the military, spinoffs should later become available for ordinary consumers. Certainly not, though, with a military-style price tag. Practical applications in everyday life for wide-range flying surveillance cameras include search and rescue, port and border protection, security, transportation and crime prevention.

It’s a reflection of the wide variety of spy and surveillance equipment, software and systems already on the market. Easily-accessible and affordable surveillance products include many that were once used only by government, military and law enforcement: GPS-based vehicle tracking devices; pinhole cameras built into ordinary objects like pens, neckties and wall-mount clocks; keyloggers for computer surveillance; and cell phone SIM card readers that are even able to retrieve deleted text messages.