WickedLasers Photonic Disruptor Review

WickedLasers asked if we could review another of their high powered laser pens. Of course I said yes as no matter how many laser pens I have seen in the past I still find they are very cool (although dangerous if not used correctly). The laser is named the Photonic Disruptor and unlike every other laser that requires safety specks to be worn to protect the eyes, the disruptor is supposed to be aimed at people’s eyes to temporarily disorient them. In the words of WickedLasers it is described as…

an extremely effective, non-lethal, waterproof high powered green laser built specifically for rugged, harsh environments. This laser is classified as TALI¢ (Threat Assessment Laser Illuminator)…. This tactical laser is equipped with versatile focus-adjustable collimating lenses to compensate for range and power intensity. Laze a non-lethal focused or unfocused beam towards potential threats at a distance. Used properly, the Photonic Disruptor¢ will temporarily overwhelm a threats visual senses without causing permanent eye damage.

The Photonic Disruptor goes against the grain compared to other laser pens in that it’s main purpose is to shine it in people’s eyes to temporarily disrupt their vision. It’s kind of a hard concept to grasp though as when looking through the technical specs you see it has a power output of around 100mW which would normally be lethal to the eye if aimed direct. When everything you read on other laser pens says DO NOT… this one says DO :S So yeah, challenging indeed.

However, this laser pen is not designed for the regular public and instead it is aimed at those in the military and law enforcement. As described in the quote above it is an extremely effective, non-lethal green laser that temporarily overwhelms threats by causing their vision to “basically” be full of spots so that they struggle to see. This very temporary blindness (a bit like looking closely at a camera flash when it goes off) is enough to let the law take charge of the problem ahead.

The laser pen has an adjustable beam which measures <1.5mRad to 7.5mRad and can be focused as needed. The beam at exit measures roughly 1.5mm in diameter. The Photonic Disruptor comes in flat black and rubber seals can be found around the battery cover making it waterproof and usable in rough terrain. It is powered by 2 AAA batteries that provide about 90 minutes of usage and the laser can for 100 seconds at a time with 10 seconds of off time to prevent heating issues. As all green lasers are, the Photonic Disruptor is another amazing laser and different to any other I have tested so far in that it breaks the norm of being able to be shone in others eyes. However, that comes with a heavy warning that you should never actually do this and especially do not shine it at moving vehicles, people as well as planes or helicopters as you will find yourself in trouble. Be sensible! The image below shows the effect of the unfocussed lens which gives a wider beam to make it easier to target at those the law are trying to track down. The spot seen on the roof of a house I estimate was about 1 - 2M at about a 20 - 30M range although don't quote me on that estimate.

The Photonic Disruptor can be found over at WickedLasers at a price of $599.99 with a 3 month warranty or for an extra $19.99 you can extend the warranty by 2 years.