Hi all!
Do any of you know, or could you help me find out, if it's legal (or illegal) to aim a police LIDAR/LASER GUN at an airplane taking off or landing at an airport in the US?
LIDAR/LASER guns are different than RADAR in that laser guns use light to measure change in distance, while radar uses sound.
I am NOT talking about laser pointer lights.
I just picked up a police LIDAR gun and would LOVE sitting at the end of my local runway to track the speeds of aircraft taking off and landing. It can detect almost any object within 2,000 ft range.
Thanks for any and all input!
Moderators: jsumali2, richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
-
- headlessmike
- Posts: 9
- Joined:
Re: Is it legal to aim police LIDAR/LASER gun at airplane to measure speed?
I do not know the answer to your question, but I just wanted to point out that radar uses radio waves and not sound. Sonar uses sound.
Last edited by headlessmike on Mon Feb 06, 2017 9:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Is it legal to aim police LIDAR/LASER gun at airplane to measure speed?
I would think as long as the beam is not in the visible spectrum that it should be fine. But consult the FAA first, before doing anything.
Although, I did hear a story where a USMC plane buzzed a cop car in Texas that startled the cop so much he wrote to the nearby Naval/Marine base about the incident. Some Marine/Navy high up replied to the cop saying he is be the radar-guided weapon system didn't lock on to the cops radar gun.
I wouldn't think there were any live weapons on the jet, but it's funny nonetheless!
Although, I did hear a story where a USMC plane buzzed a cop car in Texas that startled the cop so much he wrote to the nearby Naval/Marine base about the incident. Some Marine/Navy high up replied to the cop saying he is be the radar-guided weapon system didn't lock on to the cops radar gun.
I wouldn't think there were any live weapons on the jet, but it's funny nonetheless!
When wasn't America great?
The thoughts and opinions shared under this username are mine and are not influenced by my employer.
The thoughts and opinions shared under this username are mine and are not influenced by my employer.
Re: Is it legal to aim police LIDAR/LASER gun at airplane to measure speed?
Haha, that's a funny story.
Sound, sound waves, I was just differentiating the light LIDAR uses vs guns governed by the FCC.
Sound, sound waves, I was just differentiating the light LIDAR uses vs guns governed by the FCC.
Re: Is it legal to aim police LIDAR/LASER gun at airplane to measure speed?
I remember a couple days after USAir 427 there was a police car pulled over on I480 about 5 miles West of CLE and he was out of his car on the shoulder of the freeway pointing at an airliner that had just taken off, straight up. I don't know what he was trying to do but I'd imagine he wasn't very successful at getting a speed.
Too lazy to work, too scared to steal!
Re: Is it legal to aim police LIDAR/LASER gun at airplane to measure speed?
Over The Horizon Radar systems/installations deliver a powerful punch, many times targeted to a narrow geographical location. I cannot recall any "incidents" as a result of their use, other than creating havoc when utilized in HF aircraft communication bands.
Re: Is it legal to aim police LIDAR/LASER gun at airplane to measure speed?
TWA772LR wrote:Some Marine/Navy high up replied to the cop saying he is be the radar-guided weapon system didn't lock on to the cops radar gun.
Probably wouldn't work. Police radar guns and the radar on radar guided weapons are on different frequency bands. Most active radar guided weapons are I/J band emitters in the 7-17Ghz range.
Now if the weapons are laser guided there is a chance of the weapon homing in on the laser designator instead of the lased target if the weapon is released in the wrong direction.
Bonus animus sit, ab experientia. Quod salvatum fuerit de malis usu venit judicium.
Re: Is it legal to aim police LIDAR/LASER gun at airplane to measure speed?
Police laser speed measuring equipment is eye-safe, otherwise the police would not be allowed to use it on public roads. There should be a sticker on the device stating that it is Class I by CDRH standards.
No danger to anyone, so have fun.
No danger to anyone, so have fun.
Re: Is it legal to aim police LIDAR/LASER gun at airplane to measure speed?
So class I indicates that it is safe for civilian use?
Re: Is it legal to aim police LIDAR/LASER gun at airplane to measure speed?
It probably is, but if you sit at the end of a runway pointing anything vaguely gun-shaped at an airplane, be prepared for more questions than you want to answer. Possibly, even several interviews with people with badges and guns, who are likely to be very skeptical.
DC6 to 777 and most things in between
Re: Is it legal to aim police LIDAR/LASER gun at airplane to measure speed?
Your measurements will likely read slow anyway, google "cosine effect."
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: 77H, a2b7, AA 777, AABB777, ac190, Acey559, ah414211, airfinair, AndoAv8R, Armadillo1, astuteman, AZORMP, Baruch, bennett123, BHMRTR, bmibaby737, bpatus297, btuszynski11, Capn, Cboyle, ClipperMonsoon, corn4ahead, EI202, fdxco, fraspotter, hbjnd, IFlyATA, ikolkyo, Ishrion, jameijeirasc, jetset, JFKCMILAXFLL, JohanTally, jumbojettony, kordcj, Lootess, Luke1994, MaverickM11, Melb94, mjgbtv, mkorpal333, mrglue, Noshow, OzarkD9S, PHLspecial, qf789, Revelation, Rifitto, Sachmet, san747, sassiciai, Scraig08, shoelessjoe, SRQKEF, SteinarN, stratosphere, SumChristianus, SunsetLimited, TheChickenman, TKflyer, Tristar787, TWFlyGuy, United857, USAavdork, USAirALB, WildcatYXU, yochai, yulexpansion and 333 guests