Airbus subsidiary Satair Group, Atlanta, and Metamaterial Technologies Inc. and its optical filters division Lamda Guard of Halifax, Nova Scotia, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will lead to an exclusive multi-million dollar global distribution agreement to bring MTI’s laser protection product MetaAir to the civil aviation market.
MetaAir is nanofabricated as a flexible metamaterial optical filter that can be applied to any transparent surface – such as the inner surface of an aircraft’s cockpit windscreen – to control unwanted light sources while not interfering with visibility. The filter deflects harmful laser beams aimed at aircraft windscreens even at high power levels and from wide angles, preventing the beam from reaching the inside of the aircraft cockpit. In addition to laser protection at night, MetaAir may also feature new types of optical protections such as ultraviolet ray protection for daytime operation at cruising altitudes, answering a long-established concern for many flight crews.
A “metamaterial” is commonly described as an assembly of multiple individual elements (which are sometimes referred to as meta-atoms). These meta-atoms are fashioned from conventional microscopic materials such as metals or plastics, but the materials are usually arranged in specific periodic patterns. Therefore, metamaterials gain their properties not from their composition, but from their exactingly-designed structures.
Their precise shape, geometry, size, orientation, and arrangement affects the electromagnetic waves of light to create material properties that are not achievable with conventional materials. These metamaterials incorporate structural elements of sub-wavelength sizes, i.e., features that are actually smaller than the wavelength of the electromagnetic waves that they affect.
Laser strikes on commercial aircraft have risen over the years and laser pointers are increasing in power and decreasing in price. Lasers can distract and even harm pilots during critical phases of flight and can cause temporary visual impairment. Over 2000 laser incidents were recorded in the United States in the first four months of 2017, according to the FAA. In 2015, there were over 10,000 laser incidents reported to the FAA, the UK Civil Aviation Authority, and Transport Canada.
The MetaAir product will be developed initially for the Airbus A320 family, followed shortly by all other Airbus and also Boeing types, as well as for other commercial airliners. Satair Group also sees demand for this product coming from business and general aviation and rotary wing customers.
