Abstract: A synoptic, broad-area remote-sensing system using multiple sensors mounted on an airborne platform. Commercially available optical telescopes can be used as the sensors and can be mounted to the platform with fixed location and orientation to collectively view a wide strip of land. Each telescope views a generally linear coverage area which overlaps an adjacent coverage area of another telescope. The images from the coverage areas of the multiple telescopes are stitched in electronic image processing into continuous strips of high-acuity image data. Calibration, distortion correction, alignment and the like are carried out in the electronic image processing using proven, commercially available hardware and software. The image detection for each telescope can be implemented using a linear arrangement of multiple, overlapping linear detectors to yield a wide, high-acuity, virtual field-of-view. The linear detectors can be commercially available detectors with multi-spectral capabilities.