Canada-based Metamaterial Technologies (MTI) and its Lamda Guard optical filters division has signed a new deal with Airbus to validate, certify and commercialise its flexible metaAIR laser protection product for the aviation sector.

Once completed, the metaAIR metamaterial optical filter will provide vision protection to aircraft pilots due to growing incidents of laser strikes on commercial aircraft.

It is noted that lasers can distract pilots during critical phases of flight, and can cause temporary visual impairment.

According to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the number of reported laser incidents nearly doubled to 7,703 in commercial aviation in 2015.  

During the same year, a total of 1,439 laser incidents were reported to the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and around 600 were reported by Transport Canada.

Airbus chief product security officer vice-president Pascal Andrei said: “We know from facts and conversations with clients that cockpit illuminations are real, immediate and increasing in frequency, and metaAIR will benefit our customers.

“Today marks another milestone in our strategic partnership with Airbus."

“We also see an increasing number of possible applications for metaAIR, beyond the commercial aircraft division.”

In 2014, the company entered an agreement with MTI to test and tailor metaAIR.

Metamaterial Technologies founder and CEO George Palikaras said: “Today marks another milestone in our strategic partnership with Airbus.

“We are given the opportunity to propel our platform technology and learn from some of the top aerospace engineers while understanding the rigours of developing a product for the aerospace industry.”

The company has also collaborated with Covestro, which has already provided a custom Bayfol HX photopolymer film to manufacture the metaAIR.

Image: Laser beams can distract pilots during critical phases. Photo: courtesy of Metamaterial Technologies.