Ukusukela ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yoo-1960 kunye nasekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1970, uninzi lweenkqubo zokufota zasemoyeni zemveli zithathelwe indawo yi-airborne kunye ne-aerospace ye-electro-optical and electronic sensor systems. Ngelixa ifoto yasemoyeni yesiko isebenza ikakhulu kubude obubonakalayo bokukhanya, iisistim zale mihla zomoya kunye nezisekwe emhlabeni zivelisa idatha yedijithali egquma ukukhanya okubonakalayo, okubonakalayo kwe-infrared, infrared, kunye nemimandla ye-microwave spectral. Iindlela zesiNtu zokutolika ngokubonwayo kwifoto yasemoyeni zisaluncedo. Sekunjalo, uluvo olukude lugubungela uluhlu olubanzi lwezicelo, kubandakanywa imisebenzi eyongezelelweyo efana nemodeli yethiyori yeepropati ekujoliswe kuzo, imilinganiselo ye-spectral yezinto, kunye nohlalutyo lomfanekiso wedijithali ukwenzela ukutsalwa kolwazi.
Uluvo olukude, olubhekiselele kuyo yonke imiba yokungaqhagamshelwanga kuluhlu olude lobuchule bokubhaqa, yindlela esebenzisa i-electromagnetism ukukhangela, ukurekhoda kunye nokulinganisa iimpawu zethagethi kwaye inkcazo yacetywa okokuqala ngo-1950s. Intsimi ye-remote sensing kunye nemephu, ihlulwe kwiindlela ze-2 zokubona: i-sensing esebenzayo kunye ne-passive, apho i-Lidar sensing iyasebenza, ikwazi ukusebenzisa amandla ayo ukuvelisa ukukhanya kwithagethi kwaye ibone ukukhanya okubonakaliswe kuyo.