Editing Laser pointer (section)

===United Kingdom===
UK and most of Europe are now harmonized on Class 2 (<1&nbsp;mW) for General presentation use laser pointers or laser pens. Anything above 1&nbsp;mW is illegal for sale in the UK (import is unrestricted). Health and Safety regulation insists on use of Class 2 anywhere the public can come in contact with indoor laser light, and the DTI have urged Trading Standards authorities to use their existing powers under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 to remove lasers above class 2 from the general market.<ref>The UK Health Protection Agency's [http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1195733794576 Laser Pointer Infosheet] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080613070927/http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb%26HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1195733794576 |date=13 June 2008 }}.</ref>

Since 2010, it is an offence in the UK to shine a light at an aircraft in flight so as to dazzle the pilot, [[strict liability|whether intentionally or not]], with a maximum penalty of a [[Standard scale#Scale|level 4 fine]] (currently £2500). It is also an offence to [[Mens rea#England and Wales|negligently or recklessly]] endanger an aircraft, with a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.<ref>[http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/3015/made Air Navigation Order 2009]. For the strict liability offence, see paragraphs 222 and 241(6) and part B of schedule 13 of the Order. For reckless endangerment, see paragraphs 137 and 241(8) and part D of schedule 13 of the Order.</ref>

To assist with enforcement, police helicopters use [[GPS]] and [[thermal imaging camera]], together with dog teams on the ground, to help locate the offender; the discarded warm laser pointer is often visible on the thermal camera, and its [[wavelength]] can be matched to that recorded by an event recorder in the helicopter.<ref>{{cite web|last=Symonds |first=Tom |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7990013.stm |title=Technology &#124; Police fight back on laser threat |work=BBC News |date=8 April 2009 |access-date=8 November 2016}}</ref>