Detecting and locating bright light sources from moving aircraft

A light source detection system, comprising:

• an aircraft;
• at least one camera carried by said aircraft;
• a database, said database in operational connection with said aircraft and configured to store motion, direction, and position information of said aircraft and to store ground location information;
• a processor having access to said database, said processor being in electronic communication with said at least one camera, said processor configured to:
• identify light as being light from a laser when said at least one camera records an image of said light from a source of said light;
• detect whether said light recorded in said image has an internal structure based on a dispersion pattern of said light, wherein said light recorded in said image has said internal structure when a portion of the dispersion pattern is brighter than another portion of the dispersion pattern;
• estimate a ground location of said source of said light based on whether said internal structure is detected for said light;
• and
• determine whether said source of light is harmful to said aircraft;
• and
• a communications link to authorities to provide said ground location of said source of light.

A method of detecting a location of a light source, said method comprising the steps of:

• capturing at least one image of light directed at an aircraft from a light source;
• determining speed, direction and orientation of said aircraft at a time when said at least one image is captured;
• determining a line running from said aircraft to said light source using said at least one image and said speed, said direction and said orientation of said aircraft when said image was captured;
• identifying said light in said at least one image as a laser light;
• detecting whether said laser light has an internal structure based on a dispersion pattern of said laser light, wherein said laser light in said at least one image has said internal structure when a portion of the dispersion pattern is brighter than another portion of the dispersion pattern;
• and
• determining a location on the ground corresponding to a preselected vertical distance between said line and the ground based on whether said internal structure is detected for said laser light.