Kusukela ngasekupheleni kwawo-1960 nasekuqaleni kwawo-1970, izinhlelo eziningi zendabuko zokuthwebula izithombe zasemoyeni ziye zathathelwa indawo izinhlelo zokuzwa ezisebenzisa i-electro-optical kanye ne-electronic. Ngenkathi izithombe zasemoyeni zendabuko zisebenza ikakhulukazi kubude be-wavelength yokukhanya okubonakalayo, izinhlelo zokuzwa ezikude ezisebenzisa i-air conditioner zanamuhla nezisebenzisa i-air conditioner ezisebenzisa i-remote sensing zanamuhla zikhiqiza idatha yedijithali ehlanganisa ukukhanya okubonakalayo, i-infrared ekhanyayo, i-thermal infrared, kanye nezindawo ze-microwave spectral. Izindlela zokuhumusha ezibonakalayo zendabuko ekuthwebuleni izithombe zasemoyeni zisasiza. Noma kunjalo, ukuzwela okukude kuhlanganisa uhla olubanzi lwezinhlelo zokusebenza, kufaka phakathi imisebenzi eyengeziwe efana nokumodela kwezakhiwo eziqondiwe, ukulinganisa izinto nge-spectral, kanye nokuhlaziywa kwezithombe zedijithali ukuze kukhishwe ulwazi.
Ukuzwa kude, okubhekisela kuzo zonke izici zobuchwepheshe bokuthola okukude okungaxhumani, kuyindlela esebenzisa i-electromagnetism ukuthola, ukurekhoda nokukala izici zethagethi futhi incazelo yaqala ukuphakanyiswa ngawo-1950. Insimu yokuzwa kude kanye nokumapha, ihlukaniswe ngezindlela ezimbili zokuzwa: ukuzwa okusebenzayo kanye nokungashukumi, lapho ukuzwa kweLidar kusebenza khona, okukwazi ukusebenzisa amandla ayo ukukhipha ukukhanya kuthagethi futhi kutholakale ukukhanya okuvela kuyo.