A comprehensive resource for safe and responsible laser use



Aviation information


This section has pages with information about laser pointer safety as it relates to aircraft, pilots and aviation:

Laser/aircraft illumination statistics - Links to articles about the number and type of laser/aircraft illumination incidents, in the U.S. and elsewhere

Laser hazards to aviation - A quick overview of what is -- and is NOT -- a problem for pilots

Basic principles of laser beam hazards for aviation - A discussion of principles that are important to understand about laser beam hazards. Some of these principles are counterintuitive.

Laser hazard distances chart — How far away a beam can be an eye injury hazard, or a visual interference hazard, or a skin burn hazard, or a materials burn hazard — for selected consumer lasers.

Video from FAA & Air Force, summarizing laser hazards for aviation

Tips and training for pilots

Glare protection eyewear for pilots

More protective eyewear info

Windscreen protection for pilots — Using a film to absorb or reflect laser light, to reduce it to safe and manageable levels. No eyewear would be necessary since the windscreen itself would protect from too much laser light.

How to safely simulate a laser strike

FAA guidance for law enforcement — Info from FAA on how law enforcement should investigate and prosecute laser strikes on aircraft


Info & studies from FAA etc. …















Past FAA incident statistics …



To find incident reports

There is also information about laser/aviation safety on the Links page and on the Files and downloads page