A rotating camera system configured to rotate about a central axis to temporarily aim an optical axis of a camera sensor of the rotating camera system at directions spanning a 360-degree field of view laterally surrounding a base of the rotating camera system in order to generate one or more image(s) while the optical axis of the camera sensor is temporarily aimed at each one of said directions, the rotating camera system comprising: an uncooled thermal imaging sensor configured to generate one or more thermal image(s) based on a direction of an optical axis of the uncooled thermal imaging sensor; an electrically powered rotary actuator comprising a rotating shaft that is physically coupled to the uncooled thermal imaging sensor and that enables the uncooled thermal imaging sensor to rotate with the rotating shaft relative to the base of the rotating camera system, wherein the rotating shaft includes a hollowed central portion through which an electrical connection of the uncooled thermal imaging sensor passes through such that the electrical connection rotates with the uncooled thermal imaging sensor and the rotating shaft; a rotary encoder configured to determine an angular position of the rotating shaft as the rotating shaft rotates the 360 degrees relative to the base, the angular position of the rotating shaft also corresponding to an angular position of the optical axis of the uncooled thermal imaging sensor; and a slip ring affixed to the rotating shaft, wherein data and power connections of the electrical connection of the uncooled thermal imaging sensor are coupled to a rotating part of the slip ring, and wherein a non-rotating electrical connection is electrically coupled to a non-rotating part of the slip ring, the non-rotating part of the slip ring being electrically coupled to the rotating part of the slip ring such that the electrical connection and the non-rotating electrical connection are continuously electrically coupled to one another as the rotating shaft rotates the 360 degrees relative to the base, wherein the electrically powered rotary actuator is configured to temporarily stop rotating the rotating shaft when the optical axis of the uncooled thermal imaging sensor is aimed at each one of a plurality of different stop positions, wherein the rotating camera system is further configured to use historical data to determine whether activity rarely occurs relative to a stop position, and when the rotating camera system determines that activity rarely occurs relative to the stop position, the uncooled thermal imaging sensor is further configured to skip acquiring image data from the stop position for a determined period of time or a determined number of rotations. an uncooled thermal imaging sensor configured to generate one or more thermal image(s) based on a direction of an optical axis of the uncooled thermal imaging sensor; an electrically powered rotary actuator comprising a rotating shaft that is physically coupled to the uncooled thermal imaging sensor and that enables the uncooled thermal imaging sensor to rotate with the rotating shaft relative to the base of the rotating camera system, wherein the rotating shaft includes a hollowed central portion through which an electrical connection of the uncooled thermal imaging sensor passes through such that the electrical connection rotates with the uncooled thermal imaging sensor and the rotating shaft; a rotary encoder configured to determine an angular position of the rotating shaft as the rotating shaft rotates the 360 degrees relative to the base, the angular position of the rotating shaft also corresponding to an angular position of the optical axis of the uncooled thermal imaging sensor; and a slip ring affixed to the rotating shaft, wherein data and power connections of the electrical connection of the uncooled thermal imaging sensor are coupled to a rotating part of the slip ring, and wherein a non-rotating electrical connection is electrically coupled to a non-rotating part of the slip ring, the non-rotating part of the slip ring being electrically coupled to the rotating part of the slip ring such that the electrical connection and the non-rotating electrical connection are continuously electrically coupled to one another as the rotating shaft rotates the 360 degrees relative to the base, wherein the electrically powered rotary actuator is configured to temporarily stop rotating the rotating shaft when the optical axis of the uncooled thermal imaging sensor is aimed at each one of a plurality of different stop positions, wherein the rotating camera system is further configured to use historical data to determine whether activity rarely occurs relative to a stop position, and when the rotating camera system determines that activity rarely occurs relative to the stop position, the uncooled thermal imaging sensor is further configured to skip acquiring image data from the stop position for a determined period of time or a determined number of rotations.