Strange airplane seen tonight

Goldenhawk

Goldenhawk

Well-Known Member
I saw something strange tonight and was curious if anyone else had seen it. A small aircraft flew fairly low over my neighborhood, maybe 500 feet up, and it looked about the size and shape of a Cessna. It caught my eye because underneath the center was a bright green light, which is unusual for that kind of small aircraft. But I stopped watching it and didn't pay much more attention until it went directly overhead. As it did, I noticed that a beam or fan of bright white light swept across my entire neighborhood as if the airplane were projecting that beam straight down. My guess is that the light was designed to illuminate the ground in a line. It was far too bright to be a mistaken leak of light from a normal navigation light. I guess it might've been a a mapping airplane?

Has anyone else seen this, or know what it is?

Yeah, yeah, cue the UFO jokes.
 
I

Idunno

Member
You are in the Chancellor's Run Park area. Tonight is the second time we have seen the plane. It runs in a grid pattern for about 2.5 to 3 hours. Last time we got hit with a green laser light. Tonight it was flying just south of our place and we did not see the light/laser pointed at the ground. We made some calls last time, but did not get any real answers as to what they are doing.
 
Goldenhawk

Goldenhawk

Well-Known Member
That probably was it. It was dark and I couldn't see the plane other than the lights, but it matches what I did observe. I could have sworn the light beam was white as it swept past but maybe that was an illusion. Given how bright the laser (apparently) had to have been, I'm really glad I stopped watching it directly before it passed overhead. I imagine there is the potential for eye damage.
 
glhs837

glhs837

Power with Control
Goldenhawk said:
That probably was it. It was dark and I couldn't see the plane other than the lights, but it matches what I did observe. I could have sworn the light beam was white as it swept past but maybe that was an illusion. Given how bright the laser (apparently) had to have been, I'm really glad I stopped watching it directly before it passed overhead. I imagine there is the potential for eye damage.
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I saw this down my way two days back, yep, green light center bottom aint "right". If it was a laser, you can be pretty sure that your potential for eye damage was evaluated pretty critically and mitigated pretty thoroughly. I've worked a couple of projects with powerful lasers and you would not believe the safety hoops you gotta jump through. Oh, and never refer to laser as "death rays" when there are real laser scientists in the room.... they are NOT amused :)

If they are doing LIDAR, this would be the best time. Same reason county GIS aerial is done in the winter. Certainly much easier to get a good look when the leaves are off the trees. Googe Maps or bing, my house is barely visible and my driveway not at all. GIS, in the winter, you can count the cars and see what color they are.
 
3

3CATSAILOR

Well-Known Member
Goldenhawk said:
That probably was it. It was dark and I couldn't see the plane other than the lights, but it matches what I did observe. I could have sworn the light beam was white as it swept past but maybe that was an illusion. Given how bright the laser (apparently) had to have been, I'm really glad I stopped watching it directly before it passed overhead. I imagine there is the potential for eye damage.
Click to expand...

Let me make I have this straight, it is illegal for the citizens to shine a laser on aircraft but it is okay for aircraft to shine a laser on people? The answer is no. If you are sure it is a laser and not a regular bean of light, contact the Sheriff's Office next time it occurs. And who are they and what are they doing mapping a neighborhood that "has already been mapped many times"?
 
glhs837

glhs837

Power with Control
3CATSAILOR said:
Let me make I have this straight, it is illegal for the citizens to shine a laser on aircraft but it is okay for aircraft to shine a laser on people? The answer is no. If you are sure it is a laser and not a regular bean of light, contact the Sheriff's Office next time it occurs. And who are they and what are they doing mapping a neighborhood that "has already been mapped many times"?
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Please read and learn.

http://www.asprs.org/a/society/committees/lidar/lidar_downloads.html

I recommend the powerpoint. And if you are still concerned, call the county and ask for the information about the vendor providing the service and ask to talk to their LSO. Since we are not hearing about mass blinding, it looks like they are conforming to the required safe altitude for whatever laser they are packing.

Why? Becuase LIDAR gives you a helluva lot better imagery.
 
MrZ06

MrZ06

I love Texas Road House
Goldenhawk said:
I saw something strange tonight and was curious if anyone else had seen it. A small aircraft flew fairly low over my neighborhood, maybe 500 feet up, and it looked about the size and shape of a Cessna. It caught my eye because underneath the center was a bright green light,

Has anyone else seen this, or know what it is?

.
Click to expand...

This is a government plane using a "dirt box". It is designed to track you phone calls and spy on you.
 
glhs837

glhs837

Power with Control
Pretty sure any aircraft using such a box would not draw attention to itself by running odd colored lights. Since the last such survey was done in 2004, seems reasonable that it might be done again.

http://www.stmarysmd.com/dpw/Maps.asp

"n April 2004, under contract to the Maryland Department of natural Resources, Sanborn Map Company conducted a LIDAR overflight of St. Mary’s County at an elevation of 4500’, with a 498 meter flight line spacing and 50% overlap. An average of one sample was collected every 1.3 sq. meters. The horizontal position is accurate to 1 meter, and the vertical accuracy to 9.8cm for 95% of all points collected. This data was post-processed by Spatial Systems, and St. Mary’s County subsequently funded conversion to 2’ contour elevations maps in both ArcMap and AutoCAD formats."

http://imap.maryland.gov/Pages/lidar.aspx
 
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MrZ06

MrZ06

I love Texas Road House
This is exactly how they use a dirt box. They fly a small Cessna or similar plane with a mini cell tower attached at low altitude and disguise the electronics to make it look like they are doing land surveys.
 
glhs837

glhs837

Power with Control
Right, but generally speaking, you dont sweep a whole county one end to the other with one.
 
D

dgates80

Land of the lost
MrZ06 said:
This is exactly how they use a dirt box. They fly a small Cessna or similar plane with a mini cell tower attached at low altitude and disguise the electronics to make it look like they are doing land surveys.
Click to expand...

I thought those gadgets were called "stingray" boxes. L3 makes them, I think. Sigint on the people!
 
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