23:39 EDT, 9 May 2021
A teenage boy has been arrested after he allegedly directed a laser pointer at a plane overnight.
Police went to a house on Stony Creek Road, in Bexley, where they arrested a 16-year-old boy who allegedly used the laser from his backyard.
It comes just five days after the NSW Police Force Aviation Command warned the public about the dangers associated with aiming lasers at a plane.
Police arrested a 16-year-old boy after he allegedly pointed a laser into the flight path of an aircraft landing at Sydney airport
The incident comes within a week of a NSW Police announcement saying they had received a spike in laser related incidents
A tradesman who pointed a laser at a police plane from his backyard said he was trying to shoo it away so he could get some sleep.
Wayne Wiggins pleaded guilty at Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday to an act with intent to prejudice the safety of an aircraft.
Wiggins, 46, pointed the light at a PolAir 8 chopper from his home in Toongabbie in Sydney s west at midnight on April 21.
Police alleged the act could have been fatal as two officers suffered temporary blurred vision. I was sleeping and just the contact buzzing of the plane which I had no idea which was the police, I just did it as a deterrent so I could go to sleep, Wiggins told 7NEWS outside court.
âAt no distance and in no circumstance is it safe to point a laser at aircraft,â Detective Superintendent Brad Monk said. âThe laser beams can impair the eyesight of those on board and endanger the lives of the crew and the public.â
About 12.10am on April 21, PolAir 8 was on patrol over Pendle Hill when a laser was allegedly directed at the fixed-wing police aircraft on three occasions from a backyard in Toongabbie, in Sydneyâs west.
Police on the ground arrested a 45-year-old man at the home and seized a laser pointer. He was taken to Parramatta police station and charged with doing an act with intent to prejudice the safety of an aircraft.
Police are cracking down on laser pointers after dozens have been directed at helicopters and planes in recent weeks.
Frustrated officers in Sydney have called for the dangerous behaviour to end immediately, with the safety of pilots and crew potentially jeopardised.
Police Force Aviation Command and PolAir confirmed laser pointers have been aimed at aircraft.
Police aircraft monitoring the Pendle Hill area in Sydney s west last month observed a laser being pointed directly at a helicopter.
Police are cracking down on laser pointers (pictured) after dozens have been directed at helicopters and planes in recent weeks in Sydney
A man from Sydney s west was charged with doing an act (pictured) with the intent to prejudice the safety of an aircraft last month after pointing a laser directly at a helicopter
23 February 2021
AAUS is once again proud to be hosting an Industry Awards night to recognise individuals and organisations that have made a significant contribution to the Australian unmanned systems industry.
This year, over 80 nominations were received for the 5 award categories highlighting the strength of our rapidly developing industry. Of interest was that over a quarter of these were nominated for the Innovation Award.
All nominations were high quality and consisted of an impressive list of individuals and organisations. Our judging panel had the difficult job of selecting finalists for each category.
Finalists are listed below.
Winners will be announced during the AAUS Gala Dinner that will be held in Canberra on the evening of Wednesday March 10, 2021. The Gala Dinner is being held in conjunction with the AAUS RPAS in Australian Skies 2021 conference. Tickets for the Gala Dinner can be purchased via the conference website.