Re: Why just military?
Clouds. At 55-70,000' there's a lot of weather beneath you so the chances of being able to see what you're interested in are pretty low in London, and not great in LA with the coastal fog and/or smog. For long-term surveillance it's not a major issue, for real time following car chases and the like it makes it a non-starter.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
