A YouTube video shows a 200 watt infrared (non-visible) laser beam being focused and aimed at various objects, all of which burn, melt and/or burst into flames. At 12:55 into the 14 1/2-minute video, the laser is aimed outdoors at night, into the sky. This is the view through a night vision camera that can see into the infrared:

The video was done by 29-year-old Sarasota, Florida resident Kevin Kohler, who uploads as TheBackyardScientist on YouTube (4,500,000 subscribers) and who is on Twitter as @ChemicalKevy.

In the video, he states "As normal, you should never shine a laser into the sky. But we've checked the flight radar and there's no airplanes in 100 miles that direction."

(Click the link for more additional safety information)

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Tags: US, Florida, Hobbyist, Video

The idea of augmenting goal post uprights with laser beams has been suggested by a winning college football coach, as well as two kickers.

Goal post at Georgia Tech stadium. Photo by Hector Alejandro from Flickr CC by 2.0. Background darkened to emphasize the subject.

In a February 2015 interview with Sports Illustrated, Florida State University kicker Roberto Aguayo discussed the idea, first brought up by FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher (70 wins, 14 losses, 6 bowl appearances).

SI interviewer Martin Rickman asked “Jimbo mentioned his ideas about putting laser beams on top of field goal posts a while ago, and Georgia kicker Marshall Morgan brought up the notion again last season. Do you feel like electronic accuracy monitoring is something that should be implemented in kicking?”

Aguayo replied:

“Personally, I think the laser idea is a good idea. I’m still behind Jimbo. I’ll back him up on that. Games can be won or lost on a kick. I’ve seen it, a kick has gone close and one ref looks at the other. Not a lot of people know this, but my redshirt year, Dustin [Hopkins] was still kicking, and he hit a 27-yarder. He comes off the field and says, ‘Guys, I missed that.’ But the refs counted it in. They said it was good. It went right over the upright.”

“One of the kicks I missed this year went over the uprights, too. It looked like I missed it, but when they showed it on the JumboTron [TV scoreboard] the whole stadium booed. It looked good on the JumboTron. Depending on what angle you’re looking at, it’s hard. Lasers I feel like would be a good idea. It’s just about figuring out whether if it goes inside the laser it’s good, or if it touches the laser it’s no good. That would have to be discussed. Either get lasers or make the uprights a little bit longer. Kickers are getting much better and they’re hitting it a lot higher.”

From Sports Illustrated

Tags: US, Florida, Football, Sports

Between January and mid-May 2014, there were 63 lasings of aircraft in the South Florida area, and 129 incidents in all of Florida.

The NBC Miami “Team 6 Investigators” did a report on laser incidents, how pilots are endangered, and the enforcement effort to find perpetrators. The report aired May 16 2014.

From NBCMiami.com

Tags: US, Florida

A researcher at the University of Central Florida is developing what he calls “a bulletproof vest for the eyes”, to protect pilots from bright laser beams. Jayan Thomas proposes using glasses coated with gold nanoclusters that have “optical limiting” capabilities, blocking high-energy laser beams. Thomas is an assistant professor of chemistry at UCF’s NanoScience Technology Center.

According to a professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, gold-tinted eyewear has been used by military pilots for laser protection but only works against certain wavelengths of laser light. However, said Dan Macchiarella, if Thomas’ idea “could be applied to lasers of all strengths and wavelengths, that would certainly be a big advancement.”

A March 10 2013 Orlando Sentinel story noted that funding cuts and competition for grants mean that Thomas’ research faces “some serious hurdles” to develop this idea further. Thomas said finding research money is “going to be very difficult, very difficult.”

From the Orlando Sentinel

Tags: US, Florida, Orlando, Eye protection, Glasses

The Tampa (Florida) Police Department Aviation Unit has purchased anti-laser filters for use with night vision goggles (NFGs). Manufacturer Night Flight Concepts said that Tampa is one of the first law enforcement agencies to use the filters. According to Aviation Today, the Tampa police department has four helicopters: two Bell 407s, one Bell 206, and a Hughes OH-6.

A person wearing NVGs is normally not at risk of retinal injuries, since direct laser light falls on the image intensifier device and not the eyes. (Depending on the NVG mounting style, it may be possible for direct laser light to enter from the side or from parts of the vision not covered by the NVG optics.) However, a serious concern is with laser light causing “blooming” of the night vision enhanced image, or even damaging the NVG sensor. To help prevent this, Night Flight Concepts developed “Laser Armor” Light Interference Filters.

Company consultant Dr. Dudley Crosson says the screw-in filters “allow the goggles to function normally by reducing the blooming effect significantly.” A Laser Armor product sheet says the filters reduce blue (445-450 nm) intensity by 97%, and reduce green (532 nm) intensity by 99.5%.

From Aviation Today and a Night Flight Concepts press release

Tags: US, Florida, Tampa, Police, Night vision goggles, Night Flight

The Orlando Sentinel has run a story entitled “Lasers causing havoc for pilots in record numbers.” The story discusses FAA laser incident statistics nationally, as well as for Florida and the Orlando area. The author, Gary Taylor, also discusses Orlando area incidents such as these.

From the Orlando Sentinel

Tags: US, Florida, Orlando, Media and press