When night vision goggles and scopes were invented they were strictly used in military applications. German engineers had primitive models functioning by the end of WWII, and many German tanks employed them in battle against Allied forces. Early U.S. design technology of the NVD’s (night vision devices) was classified, but inventors in the private sector soon caught up and commercial applications came to the market. Law enforcement agencies used these goggles and scopes for monitoring purposes, and private investigators soon picked up on the innovative equipment.
Today’s night vision items are considered to be Generation 3 and Generation 4 models using highly advanced technologies. Military and law enforcement continue to be major users of this equipment, but like with other technologies developed by the military, night goggles and scopes are making their way into mainstream use with increasing regularity. Who’s using them?
Private investigators rely on night goggles for their surveillance needs. Much of the activity they track happens after dark, and night vision goggles give them the opportunity to follow subjects at night and from a distance. Night vision goggles are expensive, but that cost is often passed along to their clients who are eager to obtain certain kinds of information.
Nature lovers are also using night goggles and scopes to view wildlife after dark. Many nocturnal creatures can be sighted and watched with their use, including owls for birding enthusiasts, and mammals such as bobcats, bears, flying squirrels, fox, and coyotes. Many nature watchers don’t realize how much there is to see after dark in their back yard or nearby park until they have the needed equipment to do the viewing. These goggles open up that world to serious nature observers who have the money to purchase the equipment.
Hunters are also making use of night scopes and goggles. Bushnell and Zeiss are two leaders in optics and they have entered the market with vision night scopes that offer excellent technology for viewing wildlife after dark. While most states ban actually shooting an animal after dark, the scopes give hunters the chance to observe their quarry to track location and movement.
If you plan to purchase night vision equipment, be sure to check local laws concerning their use, particularly for hunting purposes. Using the equipment for observation and surveillance should not be a problem as long as the use is consistent with laws governing surveillance in general.