Going through airport security with a 100mw 532nm pointer

I figured I'd share my recent experience flying with my laserbtb 100mw 532nm pointer(white).

Last week I had to fly on a structural inspection from Chicago to Dallas and back same day. All I brought was a backpack with a few measuring devices and my pointer. The purpose of the pointer being it is sometimes useful to be able to point at something that's 60ft away in daylight. I had the pointer in the case loaded with a spacer and an IMR battery in the laser with standard AAA's in the spare case slots. After my bag went through the xray machine a TSA agent came over to me and went though a few typical questions, I was polite and so was he. A after searching a few of my backpack pockets he found the laser case, opened it and asked me if it was an e-cigarette, I told him it's a laser pointer, he said "O like for presentations", I said yes.

Then he swabbed it and tested it, test was negative. Then he said ok I just need to show it to the operator. He walks over to the lady running the x-ray maching, they look at the laser and talk about it for a moment. This is where I'm surprised things didn't go badly, he took the pointer, pointed it in one of the shoe containers and turned it on for a second. It of course was super bright, he reeled his head back for a second and just said "Wow". Then he walked over, gave me the laser and said "Your good to go". I was surprised and happy that I didn't have to leave it behind, on the flight back though I made sure the battery's weren't in it when I went through security and I didn't even get asked about it.



And here's a picture for pictures sake.

TheDukeAnumber1 said:

he reeled his head back for a second and just said "Wow".

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haha that made me laugh. +rep

Ah. I remember when 100mW of 532 would WOW me too. we sure are spoiled with our deluxe photons around here.

Now try to get through with this

DJNY said:

Now try to get through with this

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Lol, "It's a hand grenade, you know, for presentations"

DJNY said:

Now try to get through with this

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Lol, some meetings you have to start intimidating right away...

TheDukeAnumber1 said:

I figured I'd share my recent experience flying with my laserbtb 100mw 532nm pointer(white).

Last week I had to fly on a structural inspection from Chicago to Dallas and back same day. All I brought was a backpack with a few measuring devices and my pointer. The purpose of the pointer being it is sometimes useful to be able to point at something that's 60ft away in daylight. I had the pointer in the case loaded with a spacer and an IMR battery in the laser with standard AAA's in the spare case slots. After my bag went through the xray machine a TSA agent came over to me and went though a few typical questions, I was polite and so was he. A after searching a few of my backpack pockets he found the laser case, opened it and asked me if it was an e-cigarette, I told him it's a laser pointer, he said "O like for presentations", I said yes.

Then he swabbed it and tested it, test was negative. Then he said ok I just need to show it to the operator. He walks over to the lady running the x-ray maching, they look at the laser and talk about it for a moment. This is where I'm surprised things didn't go badly, he took the pointer, pointed it in one of the shoe containers and turned it on for a second. It of course was super bright, he reeled his head back for a second and just said "Wow". Then he walked over, gave me the laser and said "Your good to go". I was surprised and happy that I didn't have to leave it behind, on the flight back though I made sure the battery's weren't in it when I went through security and I didn't even get asked about it.



And here's a picture for pictures sake.

Click to expand...

Glad to hear everything went well Duke. Im planning on taking my 4 LG pointers over-seas to France this summer but I have yet to figure out if 5mW is allowed there(most likely is). Let's just hope my 473nm passes or im not boarding

-Alex

When I was in the USA I got a HeNe from Daguin shipped to where I was staying

I was worried it would get broken in the checked baggage, so I put it in my carry on.
Didn't have any trouble with it at all. Dunno why they didn't ask me why I had a giant laser tube in my bag.
Dunno what they made of it but I was ready to answer all sorts of questions as to why I needed a helium neon laser in my carry on.

Tha Greenlander said:

Glad to hear everything went well Duke. Im planning on taking my 4 LG pointers over-seas to France this summer but I have yet to figure out if 5mW is allowed there(most likely is). Let's just hope my 473nm passes or im not boarding

-Alex

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I doubt that security will care much as long as the batteries aren't in them. but even then I don't think they will care much. but in france anything more than 1mW in public is illegal so I'd only use them in your house. looks like soon the US will be following suit likely, but with the 5mW limit.

and I'm glad everything went over well, frankly im suprised he didn't take it seeing it was so powerful.

I would consider yourself to be lucky. I find it highly unlikely that a TSA agent would give it back to you after realising how bright it was.

I recently checked a bag that had a full set of working galvos (X, Y, power supply, drivers, mounting and mounting block) as well as a bunch of other electronics. I discovered a nice little notice that the TSA had inspected the bag, but aside from that they didn't touch anything.

Still, I was worried that all the weird electronics and galvos in their protective tubes would look like something nefarious.

Then he swabbed it and tested it, test was negative.

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What did he test it for/with?

I had a similar experience, I brought 5 flashlights with me to the US three weeks ago (3 EDCs, a K40, a SupFire M6) with 18650 cells in each (10 total) as well as a power bank with 4 li-ions and the security didn't say a word.
I was concerned that I had to ditch the li-ions but was revealed I cleared security pretty easily for all three flights.

Bionic-Badger said:

I recently checked a bag that had a full set of working galvos (X, Y, power supply, drivers, mounting and mounting block) as well as a bunch of other electronics. I discovered a nice little notice that the TSA had inspected the bag, but aside from that they didn't touch anything.

Still, I was worried that all the weird electronics and galvos in their protective tubes would look like something nefarious.

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Guess maybe he just thought it was fragile business equipment and you didn't want it broken so you were taking it with you.

ryansoh3 said:

What did he test it for/with?

I had a similar experience, I brought 5 flashlights with me to the US three weeks ago (3 EDCs, a K40, a SupFire M6) with 18650 cells in each (10 total) as well as a power bank with 4 li-ions and the security didn't say a word.
I was concerned that I had to ditch the li-ions but was revealed I cleared security pretty easily for all three flights.

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That is surprising, since lithium ions aren't supposed to be allowed on planes for safety reasons. But then again, laptop batteries...iPods.... Etc.... *Cough cough*

Yup, the warnings demanded no more than two spare li-ions, but I guess I was okay because all my cells were inside the lights.

TheDukeAnumber1 said:

I figured I'd share my recent experience flying with my laserbtb 100mw 532nm pointer(white).

Last week I had to fly on a structural inspection from Chicago to Dallas and back same day. All I brought was a backpack with a few measuring devices and my pointer. The purpose of the pointer being it is sometimes useful to be able to point at something that's 60ft away in daylight. I had the pointer in the case loaded with a spacer and an IMR battery in the laser with standard AAA's in the spare case slots. After my bag went through the xray machine a TSA agent came over to me and went though a few typical questions, I was polite and so was he. A after searching a few of my backpack pockets he found the laser case, opened it and asked me if it was an e-cigarette, I told him it's a laser pointer, he said "O like for presentations", I said yes.

Then he swabbed it and tested it, test was negative. Then he said ok I just need to show it to the operator. He walks over to the lady running the x-ray maching, they look at the laser and talk about it for a moment. This is where I'm surprised things didn't go badly, he took the pointer, pointed it in one of the shoe containers and turned it on for a second. It of course was super bright, he reeled his head back for a second and just said "Wow". Then he walked over, gave me the laser and said "Your good to go". I was surprised and happy that I didn't have to leave it behind, on the flight back though I made sure the battery's weren't in it when I went through security and I didn't even get asked about it.



And here's a picture for pictures sake.

Click to expand...

Next time you should take an E-Cigarette. Maybe this scenario would happen:

"Is this an laserbtb 532nm@100mW laser pointer?"
"No, it's an e cigarette... you know, for presentations"

They test it to see if it IS a pointer, as opposed to a bomb or other device made to LOOK like a pointer, or, if you cross contaminated the device with stuff used in your other terroristic activities, etc.

That is a fairly standard procedure when they are faced with an unfamiliar item, they ask what its for, and, then a demonstration that "proves" that it does what its alleged to do, etc.

IE: "Its water" = OK, drink it

"Its a flashlight" = OK, turn it on

etc.



I'm going to attempt to take a laser or two to the Grand Canyon to shoot pics of it crossing, and so forth....so, within the next few days, I should get a first hand impression of TSA's and perhaps the Park Service's take on this issue.

:angel:


Wish me Luck!