FAA says pilot reported laser strikes are up dramatically since the drone mystery

By Pete Muntean, CNN

(CNN) — Pilots are reporting a massive uptick in being hit by laser pointers from the ground since the drone panic took off earlier this month, according to new data from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Laser strikes can temporarily blind pilots or worse in some of the most critical times of a flight—when a plane is near the ground for takeoff or landing.

The FAA tells CNN across the country, pilots typically report an average of 30 laser strikes per night.

The FAA says on Tuesday, December 17, there were 123 laser strikes reported by pilots nationwide. 24 of those strikes were over the state of New Jersey, the FAA says.

“The FAA has received dozens of new laser reports from pilots in airspace spanning NJ, NY and PA,” the agency said in a statement, first released to CNN. “In New Jersey, laser strikes are up significantly in the month of December. Pilot reporting has increased 269% over the same period last year.”

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