The Federal Aviation Administration says the number of dangerous and illegal laser strikes on aircraft has declined for the third consecutive year, but the numbers remain much higher than acceptable.
On Thursday, the FAA released a new laser strike report, which provides the total number of reported incidents over the past six months.
In total, the FAA has logged 4,470 laser strikes from January to July 2026, a 24% decrease from the same time frame during the previous year, officials said.
The FAA says these latest figures represent the third straight year of reduced laser strike reports from pilots.
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It’s been a priority of the FAA in recent years to combat and crack down on aircraft laser strikes, which climbed to all-time highs before targeted enforcement led to an apparent decrease in activity.
In 2023, an inauspicious all-time record was set with a total number of 13,304 strikes. This year, the nation is on pace to cut that number by about one-third.
Those numbers, however, are “still too high,” the FAA says.
Why are laser strikes so dangerous to pilots?
Lasers can cause serious injuries, including damage to the cornea that can cause temporary or even permanent vision loss.
Many people, authorities say, aren’t aware of the dangers posed by the seemingly harmless beams of light.
“Concentrated laser beams reach much farther than homeowners may realize and have the potential of distracting or temporarily blinding pilots,” the FAA report states. “Shining a laser at an aircraft poses a serious safety threat.”
Pilots have reported 322 injuries since the FAA began tracking laser strike reports in 2010.
While the FAA has partnered with local law enforcement to reduce the number of laser strikes, the problem has not been wiped out—and some states are worse than others.
From January through July 2026, pilots reported the most laser strikes in the following states:
- California - 614
- Texas – 445
- Florida – 232
- Illinois – 224
- Tennessee – 202
- Washington – 199
- Arizona – 178
- Colorado – 166
- Virginia – 136
- Georgia - 133
There are stiff penalties for pointing lasers at planes
Those caught pointing a laser at aircraft face stiff penalties and even potential incarceration.
Pointing a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime and can carry penalties of up to five years in prison and $250,000 fine. Each violation carries a risk of additional $11,000 fines administered by the FAA.
In addition to federal charges and fines, they could also face potential state and local penalties.
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This year, the FAA is also reminding the public about the dangers of laser-light displays during the holiday season, which can carry the same risk as laser pointers when aimed into the sky.
Anyone who witnesses one of these laser strikes is urged to report it to the FAA or local law enforcement.
The agency has an interactive map that shows when and where these laser strikes happened across the nation to bring attention to the crisis and help identify trends that could lead to an intervention.
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