ARGUS-IS, or Autonomous Real-Time Ground Ubiquitous Surveillance Imaging System, a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) project contracted out to BAE Systems. Clocking in at 1.8 gigapixels, ARGUS-IS is the world’s most advanced video imaging device. As the NOVA documentary program Rise of the Drones continues, we learn of a rather old but clever trick: in order to cut costs and fast-track the project, this hardware is made out of readily available parts. Specifically, 368 common cell phone cameras were appropriated and tiled to form one gigantic composite lens. When loaded onto an aircraft and lifted to an altitude of about 17,500 feet, ARGUS-IS utilizes this mosaic to record and broadcast a live feed that collectively scans thirty-six square miles of the earth. It’s “equivalent to having up to a hundred Predators [drones] look at an area the size of a medium-sized city at once.”2 And each of its constituent eyes acts independently; ARGUS-IS can zoom in at one scale while not losing sight of the overall scene. To escape its gaze, you’d have to be smaller than six inches.
ARGUS is also a backronym. Argus, or more specifically, Argus Panoptes (“all seeing”), is the name of a legendary many-eyed giant. Fictive descriptions of him developed over time; at first Argus only had four eyes, however, he was soon detailed with over a hundred so that a few could go to sleep while several others remained open and alert.
OK napkin math time: They mention that ARGUS-IS uses 368 cellphone image sensors with a combined 1.8 gigapixels. That's about 5MP/chip That is 7.9 MB in RAW (for 5.3 MP photos)
799*368 =2907.2 or approx. 2900 MB= 2.9 GB/ Photo
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