Physical surveillance is the direct observation of people or activities for the purpose of gathering information. Physical surveillance is usually conducted by specially trained personnel called surveillance operators, organized into a surveillance team. A physical surveillance operation is called a surveillance effort.
Because it requires the deployment of surveillance operators on the ground, sometimes for extended periods of time, physical surveillance is usually a resource-intensive and personnel-intensive method of surveillance.
Used in tactics: Incrimination
Sub-techniques
| Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Physical surveillance | ||
| Aerial | Aerial physical surveillance is the direct observation of people or activities from the air for the purpose of gathering information. In many countries, helicopters have traditionally been the predominant tool for this purpose. As drones become less expensive, their use is becoming more common. Surveillance planes are also occasionally used and are much more covert than helicopters. | |
| Mobile | Mobile physical surveillance is the direct observation of a moving target for the purpose of gathering information. It is typically conducted by a surveillance team of five to twenty operators using multiple vehicles. During a mobile physical surveillance effort, the surveillance team has two goals: to successfully follow the target and to avoid being detected by the target. | |
| Overt | Overt physical surveillance is the direct observation of people or activities when the surveillance operators intend to be, or do not mind being, detected by their targets. This is common practice at demonstrations and gatherings to identify participants, whether to facilitate network mapping or to incriminate individuals for actions carried out during the demonstration. | |