The Pentagon’s anticipated need for topflight advanced technology spells business for defense contractors, for sure. But many developments originally designed for military use wind up with big commercial markets as well. Check out some new technologies spurred by Defense Department demand.

• Small, portable power systems. The Defense Department wants hydrogen fuel cells, about the size of a loaf of bread, to power very small hand-launched surveillance drones. They’re under development by Protonex, a fuel cell maker in Southborough, Mass.

• Virtual piloting. Proxy Aviation Systems in Germantown, Md., is working on software to allow a single computer operator to simultaneously navigate, coordinate flight paths and communicate target and fire orders to multiple weaponized drones. Drones, in general, are an area of large government procurement growth, and Northrop Grumman, Boeing and General Atomics are banking on them.

• Tiny video lenses. The military thinks a variety of tiny, ultralightweight lenses about as slim and flat as a business card would have multiple uses, including attaching them to the underside of wings on unmanned surveillance aircraft or to soldiers’ helmets. Southern Methodist University’s engineering department is working on versions that use hundreds of tiny lenses working in concert. Images from the lenses are merged to provide single high quality video.

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