Protesters down drone with laser pointer??

[j.coffield]

How Chilean Protesters Took Down a Drone With Standard Laser Pointers

The low-powered presentation tool/dangerous children’s toy is becoming a weapon of choice for protesters around the world trying to take down or disable surveillance tech.

www.nextgov.com

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Interesting read, thanks for posting.

Surely it would be more luck than science that numerous high power pointers could interfere with sensors, or somehow engage auto landing, but I suppose with dozens or hundreds of them they could get lucky.

"Commentators on Reddit offered a third possibility: that the combined heat from all those laser pointers was enough to melt internal wiring or cause the battery to give out. "

Is this possible ?
Over the years I have had a few the high powered ones in hand looking at them, and never really though one could generate heat to any effect one can feel.
Again combined in the dozens / hundreds it could be possible.

Obviously industrial purpose built lasers could be made as such for military and other such use.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

I had to see it to believe it. Could have been a Phantom 4 , hard to tell how many lasers were on that machine but it went down after a struggle.

Ugh Now I have to make the Wet Suit Laser Proof. lol

Phantomrain.org
Coal

 

[j.coffield]

I have a couple of those green lasers, One of them is pretty high powered. It will light a match with fresh batteries, but the end of the laser has to be within on inch or two of the match head. It will pop a dark colored balloon at a foot or two distance. I dont think it will heat up a drone let alone melt wires. You could always turn off collision avoidance so it wouldn't interfere with the sensors. I would also add, Cops think its hilarious when you hit them with a laser pointer, Try it sometime and see what happens.

 

[DanMan32]

P4 doesn't use infared for ranging, but rather ultrasonic. There are vision cameras though, as well as OA cameras.

 

[sar104]

Interesting read, thanks for posting.

Surely it would be more luck than science that numerous high power pointers could interfere with sensors, or somehow engage auto landing, but I suppose with dozens or hundreds of them they could get lucky.

"Commentators on Reddit offered a third possibility: that the combined heat from all those laser pointers was enough to melt internal wiring or cause the battery to give out. "

Is this possible ?
Over the years I have had a few the high powered ones in hand looking at them, and never really though one could generate heat to any effect one can feel.
Again combined in the dozens / hundreds it could be possible.

Obviously industrial purpose built lasers could be made as such for military and other such use.

Laser pointers, even the more powerful ones, would have absolutely no physical effect. They are still only tens of mW at most. Interfering with downward sensors, potentially fooling the FC into autolanding, is perhaps more likely.

 

[AnzacJack]

Laser pointers, even the more powerful ones, would have absolutely physical effect. They are still only tens of mW at most. Interfering with downward sensors, potentially fooling the FC into autolanding, is perhaps more likely.

An interesting experiment I think. Might give this a try on one of the phantoms when I get some time

Although, to replicate this, might need many lasers. One or 2 may not bring about the effect

 

[Simmo]

Sorry @sar104 would have???

Laser pointers, even the more powerful ones, would have absolutely physical effect.

 

[RayOZ]

Seems a bit suspicious. For low powered laser pointers, it would have to be beam would have been on the same spot to melt anything. Aren’t those pointers used in presentations on boards, etc?
I guess as defense, decal the drone with mirrors, protesters risk blinding themselves.

 

[4wd]

Turning off the downward sensors, which can be allocated to the buttons under the controller would have made it immune.
It can't be heating up inside the case with propwash blasting over it - microwave energy might do that.
I'm wondering if something threadlike was thrown at it when it became an illuminated target.

 

[Redleg]

Sorry @sar104 would have???

Laser pointers, even the more powerful ones, would have absolutely physical effect.

Probably “...would have absolutely [no] physical effect.”

 

[Classic flyer]

Seems a bit suspicious. For low powered laser pointers, it would have to be beam would have been on the same spot to melt anything. Aren’t those pointers used in presentations on boards, etc?
I guess as defense, decal the drone with mirrors, protesters risk blinding themselves.

That sir is truly thinking out side the box, very nice...be smart fly safe!

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Probably “...would have absolutely [no] physical effect.”

That's what I figured, sar is probably busy looking at peoples crash logs and too busy to revisit

 

[Rich_fpv]

Gents, please ensure that no laser comes into contact with your drones sensors. The internal components (especially the camera) are very prone to damage. I once accidentally put a permanent scar across a camera from a stray laser reflection at only 100mw (10ft). Handheld laser pointers can exceed 2w easily and will certainly cause physical damage to sensors and camera components.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Gents, please ensure that no laser comes into contact with your drones sensors. The internal components (especially the camera) are very prone to damage. I once accidentally put a permanent scar across a camera from a stray laser reflection at only 100mw (10ft). Handheld laser pointers can exceed 2w easily and will certainly cause physical damage to sensors and camera components.

Whoa, never knew, thanks for the advice.

Laser Pointer Safety - Laser effects on cameras, camcorders and DLPs

www.laserpointersafety.com

From there IO clicked the link about Lidar in vehciles also damaging camera lenses !!

US: Autonomous car lidar said to damage camera sensor | Laser Pointer Safety - Statistics, laws, and general laser pointer news

www.laserpointersafety.com

 

[sar104]

Sorry @sar104 would have???

Laser pointers, even the more powerful ones, would have absolutely physical effect.

Probably “...would have absolutely [no] physical effect.”

That's what I figured, sar is probably busy looking at peoples crash logs and too busy to revisit

Yes - sorry about the typo. And thanks for the excuse, but it was just careless proof-reading. Edited.

 

[Rich_fpv]

Whoa, never knew, thanks for the advice.

Laser Pointer Safety - Laser effects on cameras, camcorders and DLPs

www.laserpointersafety.com

From there IO clicked the link about Lidar in vehciles also damaging camera lenses !!

US: Autonomous car lidar said to damage camera sensor | Laser Pointer Safety - Statistics, laws, and general laser pointer news

www.laserpointersafety.com

No worries, also worth noting that the vast majority of these laser pointers come from China. Many say <1mw or <5mw but also advertise the laser burning matches or paper etc. Having personally tested these devices I have seen $5 lasers (green) labelled as <1mw exceed 120mw. Enough to cause instantaneous damage to eyes or cameras at range. Pics related, both in excess of 50mw tested, both with fake certification CE etc. Purchased from eBay

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Having personally tested these devices I have seen $5 lasers (green) labelled as <1mw exceed 120mw.

Wow, most likely trying to dodge countrys with strict import limits on these lasers.
Certainly here lasers over certain parameters are banned from import, it's only very weak ones allowed for sale.

 

[sar104]

No worries, also worth noting that the vast majority of these laser pointers come from China. Many say <1mw or <5mw but also advertise the laser burning matches or paper etc. Having personally tested these devices I have seen $5 lasers (green) labelled as <1mw exceed 120mw. Enough to cause instantaneous damage to eyes or cameras at range. Pics related, both in excess of 50mw tested, both with fake certification CE etc. Purchased from eBay

You measured over 120 mW out of one of those? That's 3B.. Do you think it was defective or as designed? Did you open it up to take a look at the driver circuit?

 

[Rich_fpv]

You measured over 120 mW out of one of those? That's 3B.. Do you think it was defective or as designed? Did you open it up to take a look at the driver circuit?

Hi,

I purchased 15 lasers in all, mostly 303 and pen type. The high output is by design as all lasers tested exceeded 30mw however there was a very high degree of variability between the devices, even from the same source and same model. I did not open them up. Of the green test group one was around 90mw and one 120mw. The blue lasers (often much more dangerous to skin/tissue) were between 30-70mw and could burn skin tissue instantaneously. More worryingly, ir (980nm) invisible lasers are now also available on eBay though not yet as powerful....yet