Looks like the FDA is finally fed up with handheld lasers...

Blaster said:

Gets down to fact still no aircraft have been bought down by a idiot with a laser so its still not fact that a laser will cause a crash there is two pilots both get blinded enough to not be able to see, what are the odds ,I'm not even aware of a pilot just one being blinded for more than a few seconds brief flash blind ....bottom line is punish the idiot not the laser by heading down road of no hand held lasers and totally agree you can buy a rifle which has a massively higher chance of causing a plane crash than a laser especially if its low power

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Laserglow portable laser pages said:

Please note: This laser cannot be shipped to the United States. If you live in the USA please consider the Galileo green laser, which has a similar click on/off switch, 100% duty cycle, and is Class IIIa compliant. If you require high power, then you may also consider the 532 nm laboratory laser, which provides similar output but is not portable.

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laserglow said:

FDA Laser Regulations In the United States

In the USA, lasers are regulated by the FDA. According to the Code of Federal Regulations (21CFR1040.10), lasers which are portable and battery-operated or those which are intended for alignment applications are defined as "surveying, levelling, or alignment lasers(s)" (SLA lasers), regardless of their intended purpose, and these are restricted to FDA Class IIIa/IEC Class 3R or lower. The purpose of this restriction is public safety, because lasers above this Class may cause harm from momentary accidental exposure. Unfortunately, there is no license, certification, or qualification which would exempt any individual or company from this restriction.

If you live in the USA and require a portable laser or alignment laser, there are several options available to you.

You can choose a laser which is Class IIIa/Class 3R or lower.
This usually means that the laser will be restricted to 5 mW or less, except in the case of certain alignment lasers which produce lines, crosses, or other patterns. Check the product description to see which Class a particular laser falls under. If in doubt, we can help you to find a laser which is Class IIIa/3R, or lower, which may suit your needs.

You can choose a laser which is not an SLA laser.
If you require more power than Class IIIa/3R will allow, and you are not intending to use the laser for an alignment or pointing application, then you may select a laboratory/OEM laser source instead. These typically run on AC or DC current and are not designed to be easily portable or operated from batteries.

If none of these options are suitable for you, please contact us so we can discuss your application in greater detail in order to work out a solution.

If you have specific questions about the Code of Federal Regulations, you can also contact the FDA directly.

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Speedy78 said:

Maybe I'm missing the point but I have an outlet on the outside of my house where I could plug in a lab laser and lase aircraft if I so desired.

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Shakenawake said:

ultimatekaiser is right, here's what it says below the hercules:

Please note: This laser cannot be shipped to the United States. If you live in the USA you may consider the 532 nm laboratory laser, which provides similar output but is not portable. Click here for more information.

I may change my mind on the CNI GB depending on this situation, I still have the RPL en route, I'd be devestated If I lost both an RPL 500 532 and a 589 80mW. that's like $1500

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