Ukusukela ekupheleni kweminyaka yo-1960 kwaye kwasekuqaleni kweminyaka yo-1970, uninzi lweenkqubo zemveli zemveli zemveli zithathelwe indawo yinkqubo ye-Airborne kunye ne-Aerospace Eler Eler ye-Elessor ye-Elessor. While traditional aerial photography works primarily in the visible-light wavelength, modern airborne and ground-based remote sensing systems produce digital data covering the visible light, reflected infrared, thermal infrared, and microwave spectral regions. Iindlela zokutolikwa ngokwesiko ezibonakalayo kwifoto ye-aerial ziseluncedo. Ukanti, ukunyameka okude kubandakanya uluhlu olubanzi lwezicelo, kubandakanya imisebenzi eyongezelelweyo njengemodeli yethiyori yeepropathi ekujoliswe kuzo, imilinganiselo yezinto ezibonakalayo yezinto zokukhupha ulwazi.
Ukuqonda okude, okubhekisa kuwo onke amabakala eendlela ezingekho uqhagamshelo lophando, yindlela esebenzisa i-elektromagnetism ukuba ifumane, irekhodile kwaye icetywe iimpawu zethagethi kunye nentsingiselo yaqala icetywayo kwi-1950s. Intsimi yokuqonda okude kunye nemephu, yahlulwe yaba ziindlela ezi-2 ezisebenzayo: Ukuziva okusebenzayo, ukuba i-Lidar isebenza, ikwazi ukusebenzisa amandla ayo ekukhanyiseni kwaye ifumane ukukhanya oko.