Over the last 10 years, there has been a 148% increase in reported laser strikes against pilots.
And laser strikes even increased in 2020, despite the decrease in flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to FAA officials.
Pilots reported 6,852 laser strikes to the FAA last year, up from 6,136 in 2019. The number of incidents reported in 2020 was the highest annual total since 2016.
Laser report data by year is available for download on the FAA website.
The FAA also has developed what it calls a “visualization tool” that analyzes laser strike data from 2010 to 2020.
Using the Tableau software platform, the tool identifies trends that include geographic area, per capita data, time of day, and year.
The agency is sharing the information in the new format to draw attention to the dangerously high rate of laser strikes on airplanes, officials noted.
“Pointing a laser at an aircraft can temporarily blind a pilot and not only affects the crew but endangers passengers and the communities they fly over every night,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson.
People who shine lasers at aircraft face FAA fines of up to $11,000 per violation and up to $30,800 for multiple laser incidents. The FAA has issued $600,000 in fines since 2016, which includes $120,000 in 2021. Violators can also face criminal penalties from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
The FAA also released a new video about the dangers of laser strikes: