FAQ :: Can drones photograph faces from space?

The Air Force plans to take a single picture of targets from space to create a three-dimensional image of a person’s face.Photon-X, Inc.of Huntsville, Alabama received an Air Force contract in 2011 to develop a camera that can snap a picture of anyone from space. The “bio-signature” (3D image of one’s face) can be used to track that person anywhere. With a few frames more, the device can capture that face’s unique facial muscle motions, and turn those movements into a “behaviormetric” profile that’s even more accurate.

“The proposed work will help identify non-cooperative dismounts using remote sensors, from standoff distances that were previously impossible,” reported Toyon Research Corporation which also got an Air Force grant for “bio-signature” development. “This identity information can help intelligence analysts connect specific people to events and locations, and learn about insurgent operations.”

It allegedly “can help Humanoid Robots navigate and find objects in a cluttered room” and it could be used to monitor suspicious behavior practically anywhere. “A brief list of potential industries includes law enforcement, banking, private corporations, schools and universities, casinos, theme parks, retail, and hospitality.” [1]

It will only be a matter of time before Big Brother snaps a picture from space of most people in the Western world.

Endnotes
[1]Shachtman, Noah. “Army Tracking Plan: Drones That Never Forget a Face.”