Lose the Laser

Pointing a laser at aircraft is much more than a harmless joke. The FAA offers tips to users on how to use their lasers safely without placing others at risk.

Aiming a laser pointer at a plane may seem like a harmless joke.

But it is a dangerous and illegal prank with severe consequences. The light from a high-powered laser beam can temporarily blind a pilot flying an aircraft with hundreds of passengers.

The Federal Aviation Administration is working alongside federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to increase public awareness of such safety risks and pursue civil and criminal penalties against individuals who deliberately aim lasers at aircraft. It is a federal crime that can carry heavy penalties of fines up to $250,000 and/or five years in jail.

Laser strikes on aircraft remain a serious threat to aviation safety across the nation. In July 2020, 514 laser incidents were recorded, up from 505 incidents in July 2019 and 391 in July 2018, according to FAA statistics. There has been more than a 250 percent spike in laser strikes since the FAA started tracking incidents in 2010. The agency reported 6,136 laser incidents in 2019, a rise from 5,663 incidents in 2018.

Together, we can address potential safety risks. The FAA encourages anyone who is the victim of a laser incident or the witness of a laser incident to report it at https://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/lasers/. Whether hunting, star gazing, playing with the cat or decorating for the holidays, avoid pointing lasers at the sky. Help the FAA protect pilots — #LoseTheLaser.

To learn more and find resources about laser strikes, visit the FAA’s laser safety webpage.