One of the latest weapons to be deployed by the US military is a new drone with the ability to use nine different cameras, sending up to 65 different live images to ground troops.

The drone, called Gorgon Stare, is named after the mythical Greek creature known for a gaze that turned its foes to stone, has been in production for the last 18 months and should be ready for tour duty in Afghanistan within two months, the Nation reports.

Maj Gen James Poss, assistant deputy chief of staff in the Air Force, said each new Gorgon Stare will cost $17.5 million. “Gorgon Stare will be looking at a whole city, so there will be no way for the adversary to know what we’re looking at, and we can see everything,” Poss told the Washington Post.

Predator and Reaper drones currently used have just one camera for shooting video.

Due to the indiscriminate nature of their violence, in many cases killing innocent men, women and children, the use of drones by the US military has drawn heavy criticism in the world community. When innocents are killed, the US government simply apologizes and then orders more strikes.

“I have yet to go a week in my job here without having a request for more Air Force surveillance out there,” Poss added.

The monthly use of remote controlled warfare in the occupation of Afghanistan as well as in Pakistan - a nation we currently do not occupy - has increased substantially in the last year, more than doubling since January 2010 and, since President Obama took office in January 2009, their use has quadrupled.