An
aerial reconnaissance camera and method provides for generating a first image of the
terrain of interest with the camera pointing angle oriented or rotated about an azimuthal axis some angular amount (theta1) to a first, typically forward orientation, i.e., forward of a cross-line of
flight direction. An image is obtained of the ground at this orientation. Then the camera is rotated about the azimuthal axis to new angular value (theta2), which will typically be aft of the cross line of
flight direction. An image is generated at this value. The camera is then rotated back to the value of theta1, and a second image in the forward orientation is generated. The camera is then rotated again to the value of theta2 and another image in the aft orientation is generated. This process of rotating the camera about the azimuthal axis and generating images in forward and aft orientations continues over and over. Eventually, as the aircraft flies past the
terrain of interest, any given location in the
terrain of interest will have been imaged from two different perspectives-forward and aft. The motion of the aircraft during the interim in combination with the values of theta1 and theta2 provide the high baseline for the
stereo image pairs. By selection of suitable values for the angular separation of theta1 and theta2 (such as theta1=+10 degrees and theta2=-10 degrees) the result will be pairs of images of the terrain of interest having a large baseline, producing truly high aspect stereo images from a
single camera. The method also works in a similar fashion by rotation back and forth about the
pitch axis and imaging the terrain in forward oblique and aft oblique orientations.