1. Lasers and aviation Safety
Patrick Murphy
Executive Director, International Laser Display Association
SAE G-10T Committee Member
Lasers and aviation Safety

2. Lasers and Aviation Safety
Laser pointer threat
Laser uses in airspace
Laser hazards in airspace
Hazard factors
Hazard reduction
Regulation and control

3. Laser pointer threat Steady rise in incidents Due to: Lower cost
Higher powers ( mW)
Green (more visible)

4. Laser pointer threat
January 1 – February 23, 2009: 148 laser illuminations of aircraft in the U.S. alone
2.7 per day
February 22: 12 illuminations of aircraft landing at Sea-Tac

5. Laser pointer threat -- Australia
140 incidents Jan. - April 2008
March 2008 “coordinated attacks” in Sydney
Led to NSW ban on laser pointer import, sales and possession

6. Why not ban laser beams from airspace?

7. Laser use in airspace “Guide star” lasers used in astronomy
Satellite communications and ranging
Atmospheric remote sensing

8. Laser use in airspace Aircraft warning
Visual Warning System used in Washington Metropolitan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)
7 locations
Green and red lasers, 1.5 watts
Visible up to 20 nautical miles away

10. Laser use in airspace Entertainment
Nightly show at a fixed site (theme parks)
Infrequent shows at various sites (special events)
Usually only minutes long

11. Not practical to ban lasers from airspace
Unduly restricts legitimate users
Does not prevent accidental illumination incidents
Does not stop deliberate targeting of aircraft
Ignorance – does not know effects
Malice – trying to cause harm

12. How are laser beams hazardous to aviation?

13. Primary hazard is to pilots
From visible laser beams:
Visual interference during critical phases of flight
Distraction, glare and flashblindness
Potential eye damage during any phase of flight
From non-visible (infrared, ultraviolet) beams:

14. Visual interference Distraction
Distracting, but can see past the light
0.5 μW/cm2
5 mW laser pointer at 3,700 feet (1130m)

15. Visual interference Glare Interferes with vision 5.0 μW/cm2
5 mW laser pointer at 1,200 feet (365m)

16. Visual interference Temporary flashblindness
Blocks vision during and after exposure
100 μW/cm2
5 mW laser pointer at 350 feet (107m)

17. Visual interference does affect pilots
2004 FAA simulator study
Pilots flew a challenging “short-final” approach
Glare and flashblindness significant
Adverse effects for more than 50% of the approaches
20-25% rate of aborted landings

18. Laser exposure in a police helicopter

19. Potential eye damage
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-exposure
Previous eye injuries or abormalities
Rubbing the eye after exposure

24. Hazards summary

25. (A plea for properly proportioned diagrams)

28. 6 watt, 532 nm, 1.1 mrad laser 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)

29. What are the factors affecting the hazard level?

30. Factors affecting hazard level
Laser factors
Power, divergence, visible/non-visible, wavelength, pulsed vs. CW
Operational factors
Area covered in sky (stationary vs. moving)
Location relative to airports
Terminated vs. non-terminated beams
Use of airspace observers (spotters)
Use of automated detection (radar, cameras)

31. Factors affecting hazard level (cont. 1)
Situational factors
Day vs. night
Aircraft speed and distance (helicopters at risk)
Laser pointer user factors
Deliberate (longer and more exposures) vs. accidental (short, single event)

32. Factors affecting hazard level (cont. 2)
Pilot factors
Read NOTAMs
Flight phase (takeoff, landing, emergency)
Pilot experience and training
Recognizing a laser event
Properly responding, to successfully avoid problems

33. Factors affecting hazard level (cont. 3)
Legal and regulatory
Follow aviation authority procedures
FAA, CDRH in US
Laws against interference
Restrict the sale or use of laser devices
May not be practical
May give false sense of security
Does not guard against deliberate intent

34. Single most effective way to reduce the hazard?

35. Pilot training reduces 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

36. Public education may also help
Educate heavy laser pointer users
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

37.
Facts, news and links on laser pointer safety for the general public
Reduce annoying and dangerous incidents
“Bad for safety” – pilots, drivers
“Bad for yourself” – possible arrest, fines, jail
“Bad for pointers” – misuse will lead to bans

38. What regulations must be followed in the U.S.?

39. U.S. regulations Federal Aviation Administration
Does not have direct authority over laser uses
Requests that laser uses be reviewed in advance by aerospace specialists
Issues a “Letter of Non-Objection” if OK; a “Letter of Objection” if not OK

40. U.S. regulations FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Regulates laser devices (equipment)
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.

41. FAA regulations
Four zones around airports and sensitive airspace, for visual interference
“Laser-Free” Zone, < 0.5 μ/cm2 (50 nanowatts/cm2)
Critical Flight Zone, < 5.0 μ/cm2
(optional) Sensitive Flight Zone, < 100 μ/cm2
Normal Zone, <MPE, no visual restrictions

44. What U.S. airspace is controlled?
Almost all lasers outdoors in the U.S.
Even if between two buildings on a city street
Helicopters may need to fly between the buildings
Even if terminated from ground to surfaces
Termination may fail
FAA control stops at about 60,000 feet
Some lasers are hazards above 60,000 feet
Must be reported to Air Force Space Command
No current requirement to detect hard-to-spot aircraft
Stealth, unmanned aerial vehicles, supersonic

45. How to report U.S. laser operations
FAA Form (part of Advisory Circular 70-1)

46. Current status

47. Standards development
SAE G-10T Laser Safety Hazards Subcommittee
ANSI Z136.6 Standard for Safe Use of Lasers Outdoors

48. Current status
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 harm
Difficult to do, not very effective

49. Resources for background, general public
This ILSC paper and its references
Wikipedia article “Lasers and Aviation Safety”
Subject to “anyone can edit” caveat of any Wikipedia article
Links page

50. Questions

52. (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.)

53. Hazard factors: Laser Laser power Beam divergence
Visible vs. non-visible (infrared and ultraviolet)
Color
Green can be 2-10 times more visible than equal power red or blue lasers
Pulsed vs. continuous

54. Hazard factors: Operational
Beam movement
Stationary: Smaller chance of flying through beam; easier to protect via spotters or automated methods
Moving (laser show): Greater chance of exposure
Location relative to airports and airlanes
Projector and laser stability

55. Hazard factors: Situational
Day vs. night
Only dusk/night/dawn a problem for visible lasers
More visible lasers operate at night
Motion and speed of the aircraft
Helicopters are at greatest risk due to hovering
Distance to the aircraft
Low-flying planes and helicopters at greatest risk

56. Hazard factors: Aircrew
Flight phase
Takeoff, approach, landing, emergency maneuvers
Pilot awareness
Prior exposure to laser illumination concepts
Pilot response
Overreaction vs. “fly the plane”

57. Hazard factors: Laser pointers
Intent
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 nights
Accidental targeting
One-time-only accident