Although the number of flights was way down in 2020, high powered laser strike incidents have shot up. Pilots reported nearly 7,000 laser strikes to the FAA last year, which is up by more than 700 on 2019.
The number of overall flights in the US is down 60% year-over-year. For nearly a decade it has been a federal crime to point a laser at an aircraft with heavy penalties of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Most laser-pointing incidents occur at night as planes are taking off or landing at low altitude close to airports.
In contrast to the US a new law in the UK was passed in 2017, which has led to a drop in laser pointing incidents near airports.
