Rising infrared lenses have been widely used for search, reconnaissance, and surveillance tasks.

Related thermal imaging camera systems can also use it for border and coastal defense monitoring, military base security monitoring, airport monitoring, oil field, oil depot security, forest, grassland, coal mine, granary, and other fire monitoring, port, river, lake monitoring, ecology, and environmental monitoring.

Thermal imaging with proper infrared lenses can detect extremely tiny temperature differences, convert the temperature difference into a real-time video image display, can see through obstacles such as fog, rain, smoke, and more. The devices can be used in extreme weather and generally used during the day and night for long-distance surveillance or homeland security.