Laser pointers banned in New South Wales after rash of attacks on pilots

Here's a tip: you should probably leave that handy-dandy laser pointer at home when heading off to vacation in New South Wales. As of today, the Australian state has placed high-powered hand lasers, including the infamous "star pointers," on the list of prohibited weapons, and anyone caught carrying such a device without a permit could face up to 14 years in the slammer. The move comes after an outbreak of laser pointer attacks on airplane pilots, which have left them temporarily blinded and could have caused some pretty catastrophic consequences. Looks like those Aussie kids will have to find some other gizmos to carry out their high school hijinks, huh?

[Via Switched]

[OnlyShawn @ Apr 21st 2008 9:03AM]

icanhasstarpointer? where?

[Mr.Tech @ Apr 21st 2008 2:55PM]

Those Aussies probably have the 15-20MW Green Laser Type 2. =D Only 40-50 USD on eBay.

[Technex @ Apr 21st 2008 3:49PM]

I am not replying to Onlyshawn, but I just wish to get my comment at the top.

I totally agree with this ban, I used to love these lasers myself, I've owned a couple of red ones... Until I got hit by a green one when cycling back from work, the guy was in a car. My eyes felt like they were burning my vision was bad for about a day, and after effects were still visible, from that day onward I've never liked lasers, they are to dangerous. You only have two eyes, look after them guys and girls.

[Pavan @ Apr 21st 2008 4:30PM]

Can we please low-rank Technex @ Apr 21st 2008 3:49PM
for saying

"I am not replying to Onlyshawn, but I just wish to get my comment at the top"?

What makes his opinion so damn important that it just HAS to be at the top?

[computer.dude.28 @ Apr 21st 2008 8:10PM]

I didn't even finish reading Technex's comment. The first line says it all.

[Glen @ Apr 21st 2008 8:11PM]

@Pavan - because Technex actually has something worthwhile and constructive to say!! Not a silly comment like OnlyShawn said.

These green lasers are an extremely serious topic!! Would you want to shine a green laser at a 747 full of people??! only to have those pilots blinded and they crash that plane into the ground killing thousands?!?!?

[Wwhat @ Apr 21st 2008 10:47PM]

Killing thousands eh, must be a 747 with an extension, those things are a pest anyway.

[Lance @ Apr 21st 2008 9:09AM]

This is just another case of the NSW government restricting what responsible adults can have and do all because of a few bad eggs.

Prohibition is not the solution

[Jon Doe. @ Apr 21st 2008 9:17AM]

Under what rock have you been living...A few spoiling it for the rest?? Welcome to the real world...sadly.

[nedy78 @ Apr 21st 2008 9:23AM]

What would you recommend as a solution? I don't know about you, but when it comes to my family or myself flying at a cruising altitude of 30,000 feet at 500mph, I'd rather not have the pilot blinded by some a-hole. Me, I think the solution would be a clockwork-orange-style-reverse-laser-to-the-a**hole's-eye.

[Lance @ Apr 21st 2008 9:55AM]

"What would you recommend as a solution?"

What about tough penalties for odd few hooligans that thinks its funny to toy with a 40 tonne missile carrying 26000L of fuel and hundreds of passengers.

[BobTurbo @ Apr 21st 2008 10:01AM]

laser tracer buster

[Kyrra @ Apr 21st 2008 10:02AM]

But how do you catch those that pull off these stunts?

Thing is, it's still very easy to hide a laser pointer due to its size. Laws like this will probably screw the non-asshole citizens more than the ones doing the deeds. The people doing this shit in the first place will probably continue as if nothing happened.

[teej @ Apr 21st 2008 10:15AM]

they may not be kids, but terrorists!?@ GASP

[Bobs @ Apr 21st 2008 11:04AM]

I think when pilots are flying at cruizing altitude, they arent flying by VFR, but rather IFR, making it very hard for anyone to make the laser visible to the pilots. Im not saying only point at high flying planes, but if i lived there, ill have to hit you with my steel lathe for dicking around and getting my lasers taken away. Reminds me of the .50BMG incident in california
http://www.thegunzone.com/rkba/rkba-50.html

[phoomp @ Apr 21st 2008 11:28AM]

"penalties for odd few hooligans"

I agree, but how do you propose catching these hooligans? The crime can happen anywhere with a line of site to an airplane, the only evidence is a temporary green dot inside the cockpit with little chance of being able to spot a point of origin, and the only witnesses may be blinded or shouldn't try looking for the point of origin for fear of being blinded and risking the lives of those on board.

Meanwhile, the hooligans merely place their laser pointer into a pocket and stroll away.

The only chance of catching them is for a police officer to actually see them do it.

[Jeebus @ Apr 21st 2008 12:32PM]

"how do you propose catching these hooligans?"

How do you propose catching them WITH this law in place?

[zumajoe @ Apr 21st 2008 1:57PM]

dead on Jeebus!

[Terpy @ Apr 21st 2008 3:34PM]

Solution: 1 way mirror windshields - ok probably would not work and would completely backfire at night. What about polarized aviator sunglasses?

Notice I gave no solution to stop people from pointing lasers. This is because people are asses, and there is just no way to stop that.

[dannythepetrock @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:57AM]

get a permit, maybe?

prohibition may not stop it but it will deter it.

[Raheem @ Apr 21st 2008 9:12AM]

Watch someone skim read and condemned the Welsh for being irresponsible.

[toonces @ Apr 21st 2008 9:38AM]

*taps sarcasm meter*

this thing on?

[Dave A @ Apr 21st 2008 9:43AM]

Watch someone skim read and miss the clear reference to the Australian state of New South Wales, which makes the residents Australian not Welsh.

[Esat Dedezade @ Apr 21st 2008 9:44AM]

Here's your problem, you had a dead otter caught in the cynical detector, hence why the sarcasm meter wasn't working.

I can get you a replacement part in about three to four months, which I'm sure you are TOTALLY fine with.

That will also be a $450 call out charge, not including tax.

Thanks you for choosing Sarcasm Detector inc, for all your sarcasm needs.. as if.

[Raheem @ Apr 21st 2008 9:52AM]

Uh Dave... I was referring to someone skim reading and thus missing the Austrailian part? I swear within the last month the average IQ of Engadget readers has dropped like 80 points.

[OnlyShawn @ Apr 21st 2008 10:05AM]

hey...I started commenting w/in the last month...

[mope mope]

[simon @ Apr 21st 2008 1:31PM]

There's a Welsh province in Austria?

[Jon Doe. @ Apr 21st 2008 9:15AM]

A thought: What is the statistical probability that both a pilot and a copilot are blinded by a laser pointer so that neither can pilot the plane? Unless the person who is pointing the laser is in relative proximity to the plane this seems HIGHLY unlikely.
That and this only becomes an issue during landings and takeoffs since it would require the laser to be above the plane at even moderate heights. Me thinks this is bullshit. Rash of _attacks_ my ass. This is just some dipshit kid who has the brain of a 6 year old.
You can take my laser pointer when you pry it from my cold dead hands... :-P Seriously those things are fun...when used appropriately.

[Dave A @ Apr 21st 2008 10:01AM]

Hmm, "only" take-offs and landings? That's the worst possible time as there is least chance for corrective action.

In any case, you do not have to be above them, think: if the pilots can see the ground then they could see a laser pointed at them from within their line of sight. However, height means a longer distance for the light beam to travel and thus more dissipation, interference from airborne dust, water, etc.

[adium @ Apr 21st 2008 1:40PM]

its funny how pilots manage fine when they were wasted on alcohol but they cant handle a green light

[Paul @ Apr 21st 2008 2:50PM]

What you must not realize is that when you point your laser pointer at the wall 20 feet from you, you see a small really bright dot. However, when you shoot that same beam, say 200 feet, you now have a dot that is about 6 inches across, and still really bright.

Project that beam to now over 30,000 feet and suddenly the dot is a few feet wide, and incredibly bright still. It would be like you driving down a nice dark road and suddenly some ass hole drives by with there brights on, but your moving at 400+ mph, carrying a couple hundred people, and the bright light stays in your eyes.

I can see the problem, I just dont think banning lasers is going to solve it, or is the right solution, instead you need to make absolutely certain people understand the danger and go from there.

[Poopyheadz @ Apr 21st 2008 9:18AM]

Frikkin lasers beams...

[webon @ Apr 21st 2008 11:41AM]

Exactlymento!

What are my fine school o' killer sharks gonna wear? A Nadions Phaser? thats so last century

[NHAnimator @ Apr 21st 2008 9:30AM]

Believe you me. If some 15-y-o punk decides to see if he can f with a plane that's landing and SUCCEEDS, he'll be long gone before authorities can track him down.

Regarding blinding both the pilot and copilot: I don't expect you could blind both of them simultaneously, but I wouldn't want to be on the plane that loses either one of them at the last second. I also expect that if you tried to hold a pointer on a fixed object 1/2 mile away, you'd have a hell of a job doing that. More than likely, this dot (which is probably a bit larger than that at this distance) is jumping all over the cockpit. And your eyes would naturally be drawn to something shining in the distance.

Yes, it sucks that the few bad apples screw every mature person out of another fun toy. But so be it in 2008.

[OnlyShawn @ Apr 21st 2008 10:25AM]

laser pointers don't shine in the distance. that's cuz it's a laser, and the little light guys are all pointing the same direction.

[treetrunk @ Apr 21st 2008 10:49AM]

Obviously a lot less than "normal" light, but laser beams do diverge. At a large distance the "dot" could easily be large enough to cover the whole cockpit. Picture glare from a cars headlights, times 1000.

[jerry @ Apr 21st 2008 9:32AM]

put some retroreflecting corner cube mirrors on that plane and blind the perp!

[barry99705 @ Apr 21st 2008 10:01AM]

I have one of these, and have never been even temporarily blinded by it. Even playing with it in my room and getting hit by a reflection of a picture. Better ban flash photography, those pos projector headlights, and spotlights around runways too. Those I have been blinded by.

[James Cameron @ Apr 21st 2008 1:30PM]

Did you know that looking into a laser beam is like looking into the sun? These flash bulbs or runway spotlights DOES NOT BLIND you at a distant.

[DrunkenCP @ Apr 21st 2008 10:02AM]

A few people in the US have been prosecuted for messing with helicopter pilots with laser pointers. It's not like there are mobs of deranged laser-vigilantes running around or anything but it's happened a few times. I don't thing that it was because they could "blind" the pilot (they were probably vanilla red ones) but because they could be mistaken for laser designators on a firearm or something, and I think that the instance that I'm remembering involved police choppers. So, it probably isn't a good idea to point something that could be associated with firearms at government employees. Go figure.

[m-p{3} @ Apr 21st 2008 10:03AM]

Cmon, pilots cannot fly blindfolded ?

[BobTurbo @ Apr 21st 2008 10:08AM]

How about if you blind them both at different times repeatedly as would be more likely?

[Rupert @ Apr 21st 2008 10:08AM]

You really think that someone can point a laser at both the pilot and the co-pilot within seconds of each other and cause a crash?

That's a plane traveling at 180 - 300 mph, and probably with the nose pointing up slightly so you would have to be at least 10 miles in front of the plane. Not to mention the glass in the way which would reflect the majority of the light at that angle?

Seen any hand held lasers latterly brighter than the sun? No? Well how about just using a mirror? Would that not be 10,000 times brighter? Lets ban mirrors then, oh and glass for that matter. All those reflective windscreens on cars must be removed!

Rupert, BPhys

[Rupert @ Apr 21st 2008 10:13AM]

PS your source says the ban is in WA not NSW

[BobTurbo @ Apr 21st 2008 10:19AM]

How does a bachelor of physiotherapy help you on this topic?

[barry99705 @ Apr 21st 2008 10:33AM]

Bachelors in Physical Education?

[treetrunk @ Apr 21st 2008 10:44AM]

For your sake I seriously hope you're joking. If not, you obviously have absolutely no idea what makes the light from a laser different to that from the sun. Hint: it's different.

[Bobs @ Apr 21st 2008 11:20AM]

I flunked high school and even I know the difrence between lasers and the friggn sun.
Here, let me help you out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser
A laser is concentrated light, the sun is, well, light going all over the place.

Bobs, Highschool failure

[Bobs @ Apr 21st 2008 3:21PM]

On behalf of the scientific community, your bachelors in physics is now null and void, someone will be at your door to pick it up, so we can give it to someone who knows basic physics.

[James @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:59AM]

I agree with Rupert,

Sun > Laser

You can even buy mirrors designed to signal planes.

http://www.vtarmynavy.com/signal-mirror.htm

The light from a mirror would also be less divergent than a hand held laser.

By the numbers:

Sun 1500 Wm^-1

Laser 50-500 MW

Laser with 1 mRad (best in the market) at 1 mile = 1.6m^2

The sun has nearly no divergance when talking about miles.

Therefore a laser at 1 mile would be 0.031 - 0.31 W of light at a single frequency.

The sun at 1 mile would be (using a 1x1m flat mirror at 99% refectivity) 1485 W accross the whole visable spectrum.

Sun with mirror beats laser by 4800 - 48000 times depending on the laser. And light fom a monocrmatic source is less damaging to the eye.