Point of reference from 3 years ago.
Sep 6, 2019 - Pentagon testing surveillance balloons across the Midwest.
The U.S. military is using the balloons surveil vehicles in the midwestern states of South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri and Illinois, according to documents from the Federal Communication Commission.
The surveillance balloons are carrying small-satellite-like vehicles with synthetic aperture radars, sensors and communications equipment, the Guardian reports.
The balloons travel at altitudes of up to 65,000 feet and are able to track vehicles via the synthetic radars in all kinds of weather.
The documents reveal that the tests are being conducted to "provide a persistent surveillance system to locate and deter narcotic trafficking and homeland security threats."