6 Real Spy Gadgets You Thought Were Only in the Movies

We all love watching spy movies. Watching James Bond, Natasha Romanoff, or Jason Bourne use their wits and a few cool gadgets to make a timely escape with the right information to take down the bad guys is always a thrill. These super-spies always seem to have the latest tech to help them in their top-secret missions.

Most of the cool spy gizmos in the movies are far-fetched sci-fi imaginings. But while we may not yet have an inflatable escape plane or a laser that will cut through three-inch steel, some of the gadgets in the movies have made their way into real life. Read on to learn about six real spy gadgets that have shown up in espionage.

Thermal Cameras (In Your Phone)

When a spy is staking out an enemy’s hideout, he or she always seems to have a thermal camera with them. Often in newer movies, the camera is a part of the heroes phone. Using the thermal camera, the agent can see heat signatures from anything within range, even through walls and doors.

Well, it turns out that there is a real thermal camera that will plug into your smartphone. These cool gadgets give off readings in a twenty-degree field of view and can see up to 900 feet away. And you can get one for only $250!

Enemy-Exploding Knife

So it’s the big, climactic, final scene of the movie. The operative is on a roof fighting hand-to-hand with the bad guy in a last, desperate attempt to save the day. All of a sudden, he is able to get hands on his knife, plunges it into the bad guy, and shields his face as the villain explodes from within.

Surely that’s sci-fi nonsense, right? You can’t stop by the spy shop and grab an enemy-exploding knife, right? Wrong.

The WASP Injection Knife can cause something to explode from the inside. The blade carries a cartridge filled with pressurized carbon dioxide. When you stab something (or someone) with it, the gas releases inside the target, causing the gas to expand and them to explode.

Net Gun

It’s the chase scene! Our spy hero has discarded the helicopter, the car, the stolen motorcycle, and the truck she hitched a ride on. Now she’s chasing the bad guy across a rooftop, and it’s her last chance to stop her target.

Suddenly, she pulls out a gun, takes careful aim, and shoots out a net that tangles around the villain and brings them crashing to the ground! The hero saves the day and the target is swiftly arrested.

Well, it turns out such things can happen. The Net Gun shoots out a 52-square-foot nylon net that’s impossible to rip. The gun has a 50-foot range, making it perfect for ending dramatic rooftop chases.

Secret Code Compact

What if an operative prefers a subtler approach to espionage than chases and exploding knives? They’ll rely more on secret codes and hidden messages. For the discerning agent, a small compact mirror can be the perfect place to hide a code. Onlookers may think you’re checking your lipstick, but you’re actually getting the latest intelligence on your target.

Turns out the CIA thought this was a pretty good way to get codes to their agents. During the Cold War, they developed a modified ladies make-up compact that, when tilted at the right angle, would reveal a hidden code. Then the agent could use their one-time pad to decode the message.

Throwing Knife Cards

Some of the best spy movies take place in casinos, and why not? There’s intrigue, high stakes, lots of money, and the literary irony that espionage is always a bit of a gamble. Not to mention it gives the bad guys lots of places to stash some throwing knife cards.

One company makes a set of four throwing cards. Each side of the card has a fine blade that is sharp enough to do serious damage if thrown hard enough. The cards are all aces, so if you decide to play a game with your target before you strike, make sure you get a five of a kind hand.

Remote Control “Bugs”

One of the spy movie favorites is a bug hidden inside – wait for it – an actual bug. Remote-controlled robotic bugs with hidden cameras and microphones are way too cool to be true. After all, how could there be a flying robotic bug – say, for instance, a dragonfly?

Well, the bugged bug is no sci-fi daydream. The CIA developed the Inspectohopter in the 1970s as part of their Cold War espionage efforts. Its head contains a microphone the size of a bead, and though it never made it into the field, we still love this little bug anyway.

More Fun with Real Spy Gadgets

There are dozens of other too-cool-to-be-true gadgets the CIA and others have developed over the years. You can check out the full collection of CIA espionage artifacts here. It turns out movie fans aren’t the only ones who love real spy gadgets. The folks in the Research and Development department in the CIA are pretty excited about them, too. Who knows – in time, we may even get an exploding pen.

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