The past decade has seen enormous progress in the sensitivity TeV gamma-ray survey instruments. With the ability to continuously observe 2sr of the sky, survey instruments hold the promise of fully exploring the transient high-energy universe. After decades of roaming in the desert, survey instruments are now making detailed measurements of the Galactic diffuse gamma-ray emission and discovering new Galactic sources of TeV gamma rays. These discoveries demonstrate the power of TeV survey technology and point towards future developments. By combining the water Cherenkov technology utilized by Milagro with the advantages of a high altitude site, as demonstrated by the Tibet ASGamma array, significant gains in sensitivity are achievable at a modest cost. I will discuss the results from the current generation of TeV survey instruments and plans for future instruments.