Sighting in Lyon, August 6, 2015

Shortly after midnight, between 12:15 and 12:20 a.m., a witness watching television at home was startled when a very powerful green beam of light suddenly came into their apartment. The light moved around on the walls for a few seconds. The witness lived on the 4th floor with nothing facing the apartment, and ruled out a laser. No other witness account was collected.

GEIPAN concluded that this very bright green spot, which moved fast and randomly, had all the characteristics of a handheld green laser pointer, probably operated by a prankster. Such powerful lasers can reach several kilometers. At long range the spot appears to move extremely fast: a movement of just a few degrees of the operator's hand shifts the beam a long way at a distance of over a kilometer. This type of laser is banned from sale in France but is fairly widespread, and users face severe penalties if they aim at aircraft in flight. GEIPAN has no means of tracking down the operators of these devices. The case was classified B: a probable green laser spot operated by hand from a long distance.