Lasers and aviation Safety

Patrick MurphyExecutive Director, International Laser Display Association

SAE G-10T Committee Member

International Laser Display Association

• Laser pointer threat• Laser uses in airspace• Laser hazards in airspace

o Hazard factorso Hazard reduction

• Regulation and control


• Steady rise in incidents

• Due to:o Lower costo Higher powers

(100-300 mW)o Green (more visible)


• January 1 – February 23, 2009: 148 laser illuminations of aircraft in the U.S. aloneo 2.7 per day

• February 22: 12 illuminations of aircraft landing at Sea-Tac


• 140 incidents Jan. - April 2008

• March 2008 “coordinated attacks” in Sydney

• Led to NSW ban on laser pointer import, sales and possession

Why not ban laser beams from airspace?


• “Guide star” lasers used in astronomy

• Satellite communications and ranging

• Atmospheric remote sensing


• Aircraft warningo Visual Warning System used in Washington

Metropolitan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)

o 7 locationso Green and red lasers, 1.5 wattso Visible up to 20 nautical miles away



• Entertainmento Nightly show at a fixed site (theme parks)o Infrequent shows at various sites (special events)o Usually only 30-60 minutes long

• Entertainmento Nightly show at a fixed site (theme parks)o Infrequent shows at various sites (special events)o Usually only 30-60 minutes long

Laser use in airspace


• Unduly restricts legitimate users• Does not prevent accidental

illumination incidents• Does not stop deliberate targeting

of aircrafto Ignorance – does not know effectso Malice – trying to cause harm

How are laser beams

hazardous to aviation?


• From visible laser beams:o Visual interference during critical phases of

flight• Distraction, glare and flashblindness

o Potential eye damage during any phase of flight

• From non-visible (infrared, ultraviolet) beams:o Potential eye damage during any phase of

flight


• Distractiono Distracting, but

can see past the light

o 0.5 μW/cm2

o 5 mW laser pointer at 3,700 feet (1130m)


• Glareo Interferes with

visiono 5.0 μW/cm2

o 5 mW laser pointer at 1,200 feet (365m)


• Temporary flashblindnesso Blocks vision

during and after exposure

o 100 μW/cm2

o 5 mW laser pointer at 350 feet (107m)


• 2004 FAA simulator studyo Pilots flew a challenging “short-final”

approacho Glare and flashblindness significant

• Adverse effects for more than 50% of the approaches

• 20-25% rate of aborted landings



• Can be caused by visible or non-visible laser beams, at power above the MPE

• Unlikely, though possible• Few confirmed reports• “Damage” could be pre- or post-

exposureo Previous eye injuries or abormalitieso Rubbing the eye after exposure










• Eye hazard to 1600 feet (488m)• Flashblindness to 8200 feet (1.5

mi/2.5 km)• Glare to 36,800 feet (7 mi/11.2 km)• Distraction to 368,000 feet (70

mi/112 km)

What are the factors affecting the hazard level?


• Laser factorso Power, divergence, visible/non-visible,

wavelength, pulsed vs. CW• Operational factors

o Area covered in sky (stationary vs. moving)o Location relative to airportso Terminated vs. non-terminated beamso Use of airspace observers (spotters)o Use of automated detection (radar,

cameras)


• Situational factorso Day vs. nighto Aircraft speed and distance (helicopters at

risk)

• Laser pointer user factorso Deliberate (longer and more exposures) vs.

accidental (short, single event)


• Pilot factorso Read NOTAMso Flight phase (takeoff, landing, emergency)o Pilot experience and training

• Recognizing a laser event• Properly responding, to successfully avoid

problems


• Legal and regulatoryo Follow aviation authority procedures

• FAA, CDRH in USo Laws against interferenceo Restrict the sale or use of laser devices

• May not be practical• May give false sense of security• Does not guard against deliberate intent

Single most effective way to

reduce the hazard?


• Laser illuminations can be managed with training

• Effective against both accidental and deliberate exposures

• Not a substitute for regulations and restrictions on law-abiding laser users


• Educate heavy laser pointer userso www.LaserPointerSafety.como Self-regulation/education by laser pointer

sellers• Package inserts• Permanent labels on laser pointers• Laser pointer seller participation in

regulatory efforts• Laser pointer seller trade association


• Facts, news and links on laser pointer safety for the general public

• Reduce annoying and dangerous incidentso “Bad for safety” –

pilots, driverso “Bad for yourself” –

possible arrest, fines, jail

o “Bad for pointers” – misuse will lead to bans

What regulations must be followed

in the U.S.?


• Federal Aviation Administrationo Does not have direct authority over laser

useso Requests that laser uses be reviewed in

advance by aerospace specialistso Issues a “Letter of Non-Objection” if OK;

a “Letter of Objection” if not OK


• FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Healtho Regulates laser devices (equipment)o Only regulates three uses

• Medical• Surveying• Demonstration

Includes laser pointers and light shows Demonstration users MUST file with FAA and MUST get a

“Letter of Non-Objection”. Only laser users legally required to get permission.


• Four zones around airports and sensitive airspace, for visual interferenceo “Laser-Free” Zone, < 0.5 μ/cm2 (50

nanowatts/cm2)o Critical Flight Zone, < 5.0 μ/cm2 o (optional) Sensitive Flight Zone, < 100 μ/cm2 o Normal Zone, <MPE, no visual restrictions


• Almost all lasers outdoors in the U.S.• Even if between two buildings on a city

streeto Helicopters may need to fly between the buildings

• Even if terminated from ground to surfaceso Termination may fail

• FAA control stops at about 60,000 feet• Some lasers are hazards above 60,000 feet

o Must be reported to Air Force Space Command• No current requirement to detect hard-to-

spot aircrafto Stealth, unmanned aerial vehicles, supersonic


• FAA Form 7140-1 (part of Advisory Circular 70-1)

Current status


• SAE G-10T Laser Safety Hazards Subcommittee

• ANSI Z136.6 Standard for Safe Use of Lasers Outdoors


• SAE G-10T working on guidelines for automated detection and avoidance systems

• Prominent laser users (e.g., observatories) and laser shows follow FAA guidelines

• Laser pointers now are the area of primary concern

• Some concern over deliberate targeting to cause harmo Difficult to do, not very effective


• This ILSC paper and its references• Wikipedia article “Lasers and

Aviation Safety”o Subject to “anyone can edit” caveat of any

Wikipedia article

• www.LaserPointerSafety.como Links page

Questions

(Note: Slides after this point are “leftovers” which did not fit into the main presentation, or which had material included in other slides. They are left for

future versions which may find the leftover slides useful.)


• Laser power• Beam divergence• Visible vs. non-visible (infrared

and ultraviolet)• Color

o Green can be 2-10 times more visible than equal power red or blue lasers

• Pulsed vs. continuous


• Beam movemento Stationary: Smaller chance of flying through

beam; easier to protect via spotters or automated methods

o Moving (laser show): Greater chance of exposure

• Location relative to airports and airlanes

• Projector and laser stability


• Day vs. nighto Only dusk/night/dawn a problem for visible

laserso More visible lasers operate at night

• Motion and speed of the aircrafto Helicopters are at greatest risk due to hovering

• Distance to the aircrafto Low-flying planes and helicopters at greatest

risk


• Flight phaseo Takeoff, approach, landing, emergency

maneuvers

• Pilot awarenesso Prior exposure to laser illumination

concepts

• Pilot responseo Overreaction vs. “fly the plane”


• Intento Deliberate targeting

• Longer exposure• May be coordinated with others (Sydney, 2008)• Easier to catch (though still not easy)• May recur, hit multiple planes and/or multiple

nightso Accidental targeting

• One-time-only accident

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Lasers and aviation Safety

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