As you're walking along the street, China's newest surveillance technology could soon be watching you – from space. Scientists in Beijing have created'the world's most powerful spy camera' which can pick out facial details from distances exceeding 63 miles (100km). It means the spy camera could potentially be in space aboard a floating satellite while clearly seeing faces of people on Earth's surface. It could also take high-resolution images of foreign military satellites operated by other nations that are also orbiting Earth, the South China Morning Post reported. The technology, detailed by the scientists in a new paper, could be launched aboard a satellite in the near future.

It looks like a cross between a toy airplane and a drone, but this British solar-powered aircraft could be the future of aerial surveillance. PHASA-35, built by British company BAE Systems, is a 150kg solar-electric aircraft that can quietly cruise through the stratosphere for months at a time. Named after its 35-metre wingspan, the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) travels at a maximum height of 70,000 feet, at a leisurely speed of 55mph. Designed as a cheaper and lighter alternative to satellites, it can be used for Earth observation and surveillance, border control, communications and disaster relief. Now, BAE Systems reveals that PHASA-35 has just completed a second round of test flights into the stratosphere – the second layer of Earth's atmosphere.

A British-built solar powered drone with a 115ft wingspan that can stay in the air for over a year will be an alternative to low Earth orbit satellites, its developers claim. PHASA-35 is a cutting edge drone being developed by BAE systems at their facility in Warton, Lancashire that can fly about at 70,000ft above the surface for 20 months. It harnesses power from the Sun to stay airborne, charging a bank of small batteries during the day to keep it flying overnight, allowing for longer operations. The 150kg drone is able to carry a payload of up to 15kg including cameras, sensors and communications equipment to allow troops to talk to each other or provide internet access to rural locations during a natural disaster or emergency. BAE systems say it will be available by the middle of the decade and provide a'persistent and affordable alternative to satellite technology.'

The innovation and upliftment in the UAV industry would have no ends. The British firms named BAE Systems and Prismatic are developing a drone capable of remaining in the sky for an entire year. This solar-powered 150 kgs aircraft with a wingspan of 35 metres will be used for surveillance and to provide communication in remote areas. Basically this Long Endurance UAV is a cheaper alternative to conventional satellite technology, and it makes use of the sun's rays during daytime to charge the battery that would allow it to operate overnight. The tests flights of this aircraft (PHASA-35, Persistent High Altitude Solar Aircraft) are expected next year.

A solar-powered spy drone that can fly for a year without maintenance or fuel could one day carry out missions for the British military. The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) uses the sun to power its engines during the day as well as recharge its batteries for overnight operation. Known as Phasa-35, the aircraft could one day be used for surveillance and provide vital communications to remote areas at altitudes of up to 70,000ft (21,000m). Work is already underway to prepare the first drone for flight tests in 2019, according to British defence giant BAE Systems, which is developing the aircraft. A solar-powered spy drone (artist's impression) that can fly for a year without maintenance or fuel could one day carry out missions for the British military Engineers from BAE and Farnborough-based firm Prismatic announced Thursday they would collaborate on the development of the UAV.