Help finding Long Distance Laser

[Jack2018]

Hi Experts,

I'm trying to buy a laser which will beam across ~13km distance with a beam divergence of around 1mrad (no more than 1.5mrad) so that the target spot is around 13 meters radius. I want to be able to see "part" of the target spot on a white canvas background. I've seen a few lasers which may work but are questionable in that type of distance. I'm in USA. Any advice is very welcome!

Thank you,

Ben

 

[Encap]

Nightime or daytime? What is it you want to do, for what purpose, and what is your budget?
What you are proposing will require and FDA variance as well because it is a Surveying, leveling and alignment (SLA)
type activity.
There is no hand held battery powered laser that will have < 1 or 1.5 mrad spec.
You will need a lab type laser + perhaps a beam expander to lower divergence as well.
Expect to pay a few thousand $ for the laser depending on wavelength and output power.
Not the kind of thing that can be done on a daydream playtime budget, for most people.

"The Food and Drug Administration regulates all laser products (hardware). In addition, under 21 CFR 1040.10, FDA regulates three uses/applications of lasers:

1. Demonstrations including laser light shows and artistic displays
2. Surveying, leveling and alignment (SLA)
3. Medical

Demonstration lasers such as light shows, and SLA lasers are often used outdoors. For these two applications, anyone using Class 3B or 4 lasers (above 5 mW for visible wavelengths) must fill out FDA Form 3147 to obtain a “variance.” The user describes the intended use and safety features in order to get permission from FDA to vary from the regulations.

Further, if the use is outdoors, FDA will not grant the variance unless the user submits a description of their laser operations to FAA using FAA Form 7400.2 and receives a letter of non-objection from FAA. In this indirect way, demonstration/lightshow lasers and SLA lasers are the only outdoor uses of lasers that are required under Federal law to get permission in advance from FAA."
See: http://www.laserpointersafety.com/rules-general/rules-outdoor/rules-outdoor.html

Have a look at CNI China here: http://www.cnilaser.com/ They are less costly than US made high quality lasers.

Contact them directly with your requirements or talk with a US Distributor See: http://www.cnilaser.com/Contact.htm

You can get an idea of cost here as they list prices: https://www.ultralasers.com/lasers-series.php?cat=21

 

[CurtisOliver]

There is only one company in mind that sells low divergence handhelds, but they are not cheap. Optotronics are one of the few places where specs are rated <1.2mRad. Optotronics Green Laser Pointers
But as Encap has mentioned above, you have to consider safety and legality first though.

 

[Jack2018]

You can get an idea of cost here as they list prices: https://www.ultralasers.com/lasers-series.php?cat=21

Thank you Encap. Looking at these options, what would you recommend that is least costly but can get beam to the 13km with <1.5 divergence?

 

[Encap]

There is only one company in mind that sells low divergence handhelds, but they are not cheap. Optotronics are one of the few places where specs are rated <1.2mRad. Optotronics Green Laser Pointers
But as Encap has mentioned above, you have to consider safety and legality first though.

I forgot about Opto---they do have some low divergence hand helds available----their high output 532nm lasers are expensive however --the only >100mW in stock is the 1,400mW @ $1,500 and has a 60 seconds on duty cycle.

The OP can call Jack the owner of Optotronics and discuss his needs and see if there is something that fits the bill.

 

[Jack2018]

Thank you Encap. Looking at these options, what would you recommend that is least costly but can get beam to the 13km with <1.5 divergence?

by the way, it would be at night.

 

[Encap]

by the way, it would be at night.

Contact one of the US CNI distributors or CNI direct and tell them what you are looking for and to do with what wavelength under what circumstances and ask for current price of a laser that will do the job.

 

[paul1598419]

Newgazer or Existotem have a 1350 mW 532nm lab laser for ~$400.00. They run off +5 VDC input into the driver at 15 amps, IIRC. If you can find a battery option for this it is possible to do this on a budget. But, as Encap has told you, at 13 km you may run afoul of the FDA. If you can find a place where there are no people around to try this out, you maybe able to get around it. Preferably private property.

 

[Encap]

Newgazer or Existotem have a 1350 mW 532nm lab laser for ~$400.00. They run off +5 VDC input into the driver at 15 amps, IIRC. If you can find a battery option for this it is possible to do this on a budget. But, as Encap has told you, at 13 km you may run afoul of the FDA. If you can find a place where there are no people around to try this out, you maybe able to get around it. Preferably private property.

Existotem claim divergence of 1mrad--maybe is true however it is a CNI MGL-H-532-1W and according to the CNI data sheet it has a <2mrad spec. additionally the OEM power supply in the Existotem unit photo is only good up to 1W + the label on the Existotem unit photos show it as a MGL-H-532-1W unit see: https://www.eforcelaser.com.au/PDF/MGL-H-532-LS.pdf
So.... is a maybe at best.

 

[paul1598419]

That PDF states divergence is <2 mrad. How much less, it doesn't say. I have this laser and it does 1300+ mW. I haven't bothered to measure the divergence on it, but it looks very good to me at 15 meters.

 

[Encap]

That PDF states divergence is <2 mrad. How much less, it doesn't say. I have this laser and it does 1300+ mW. I haven't bothered to measure the divergence on it, but it looks very good to me at 15 meters.

1300mW -nice overspec unit. --good value for the $s spent.

The OP should probably ask CNI what he can count on from that unit if <1mrad or <1.2mrad is what he needs

 

[diachi]

Inb4 OP wants to test if the earth is round or flat.

 

[steve001]

Hi Experts,

I'm trying to buy a laser which will beam across ~13km distance with a beam divergence of around 1mrad (no more than 1.5mrad) so that the target spot is around 13 meters radius. I want to be able to see "part" of the target spot on a white canvas background. I've seen a few lasers which may work but are questionable in that type of distance. I'm in USA. Any advice is very welcome!

Thank you,

Ben

I've a question. Will you be using a spotting scope... or just naked eye viewing?

 

[Encap]

Inb4 OP wants to test if the earth is round or flat.

Might be, yes
I thought same when I saw the question.
We get those here on LPF from time to time. None of their efforts ever amount to anything for several reasons.

Everyone on LPF knows is the earth is not flat--it is metagyrate diminished rhombicosidodecahedral shaped, loosely speaking LOL

 

[paul1598419]

I surely hope we are not in the midst of another flat earther here. That is so ridiculous it rarely, if ever, occurs to me. It is a shame that a generation of people in this country are lacking in the education to understand and are so skeptical of science that people are still debating whether CO2 emissions are the cause of climate change. Neil deGrasse Tyson was on Night Line on PBS again recently making this very point.

 

[smallfreak]

Inb4 OP wants to test if the earth is round or flat.

So then it's a good way to prove it round. Should he.

But this doesn't need a Laser to do so. Light travels both ways. It's enough to point a telescope across a long lake and watch the visibility of lake shore features just at the water horizon. Daytime. This way we regulary demonstrate the spherical topography of the lake surface to our visitors when we hold a public observation "at the lake" with our astronomy club.

We have 22km lake distance to cross and it's easy to see.