Posted on 01/23/2013 11:03:38 PM PST by Seizethecarp
The Autonomous Real-time Ground Ubiquitous Surveillance-Imaging System (ARGUS-IS) program is developing a real-time, high-resolution, wide-area video surveillance system that provides the warfighter a minimum of 65 VGA video windows across the field of view. Each video window is electronically steerable independent of the others, and can either provide continuous imagery of a fixed area on the ground or be designated to automatically keep a specified target (dismount or vehicle) in the window.
A real time view of Quantico VA was shown on NOVA and the ARGUS system highlighted each moving person and vehicle in a separately identified and tracked box that could be zoomed-in on.
Apparently weeks of streaming video can be stored and if any enemy activity occurs, the video can be rewound backwards to see what paths vehicles or individuals took before the activity to trace them back to hideouts or bomb factory garages, for example.
Here is the FR thread on the NOVA program, which was very informative. The Predator drone’s inventor is interviewed and the Predator insides are extensively revealed in addition to demonstration of the ARGUS system.
Rise of the Drones (PBS NOVA Wed Jan 23 9PM EST)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2980837/posts
There, fixed it.
NOVA program, which was very informative....
No need for spies. NOVA put it all out there.
“Hey, let’s make a reference to ‘Argus eyes’ (Argus Panoptes). Now come up with some words to make it look like a bona fide acronym...”
The bad guys already know everything that was talked about in that show. Why shouldn’t Americans know it?
This is a government power that should absolutely be outlawed in American airspace. You want to deploy it to the battlefield, fine. But you can’t operate the things in American airspace except over predesignated military sites for training purposes (say, Nellis).
When you combine this capability to visually track targets with the ability of a drone to spoof a cell site and track cell phone conversations from the target...you have an impressive capability to match up a subject and a visual target and destroy it. Real time, or to back track and identify their hide outs.
Just as soon as you put the battery in your cell phone they can find you and kill you.
I suppose that the terrorists already know this, but the technique was demonstrated in O Dark Thrity..and it has now been confirmed that they can do it from the sky.
“This is a government power that should absolutely be outlawed in American airspace.”
You will note that the ARGUS demonstration was made over Quantico VA, just down the Potomac River from Wash DC and right over the Marine Corps base, so ARGUS is already in US airspace as of this 2011 demonstration and probably earlier.
I strongly expect that the inauguration this week was covered by an ARGUS drone (maybe several)...and some armed Predator drones as well that would have been piloted by a dedicated Secret Service detail. This is “merely” an extension of the sniper protection of the POTUS to a third dimension. I also expect that POTUS has Predator and ARGUS coverage in place for all US appearances around the US and probably in many foreign appearances as well.
This same logic that I suspect has already brought armed drones into US airspace will inevitably bring armed drones to local law enforcement as part of SWAT teams.
Exactly!
FYI drone ping...
bttt
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