FAA warns against pointing lasers at planes as drone saga rages

Allyson Versprille, Bloomberg News on Dec 18, 2024

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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warned the public against pointing lasers at aircraft, after a significant uptick in reports amid the drone frenzy in New Jersey.

Pilot reports of laser strikes in the state have increased 269% so far in December compared with the same time period last year, the agency said in a statement Wednesday. The agency also said it’s seeing new reports coming in from New York and Pennsylvania.

The Newark office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and New Jersey State Police have warned of an increase in pilots being hit in the eyes by lasers by people on the ground who have mistaken them for drones.

It is illegal to point a laser at a plane. The FAA can fine perpetrators up to $11,000 per violation and up to $30,800 for multiple incidents, according to the agency’s website.

The spike in laser incidents follows reports of mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey and surrounding states, which has caught the attention of the public and local officials who have called on the federal government to provide answers.

The White House and other U.S. agencies have tried to quell concerns, saying the drones don’t pose a threat to national security or public safety and that many of the sightings are the result of people mistaking manned aircraft for drones.

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