El Segundo, Calif. – September 11, 2026 -- Cambium will debut its first commercial laser eye protection (LEP) eyewear for pilots at the Air Line Pilots Association's 70th Air Safety Forum, running September 14-17, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
Cambium partners with pilot-founded eyewear brand Flying Eyes for market entry
The defense materials developer selected Flying Eyes, a pilot-engineered eyewear brand, as its launch partner rather than building distribution from scratch. The product combines Flying Eyes frames with Cambium's LEP lenses, targeting commercial and private pilots exposed to laser strikes during takeoff and landing.
FAA data shows thousands of annual laser strikes against aircraft
The FAA logs thousands of laser strikes against commercial, private and transport aircraft pilots each year, with high-powered lasers capable of incapacitating pilots carrying hundreds of passengers within one second of exposure. The agency classifies aiming a laser at an aircraft as a federal law violation. Weaponized laser strikes are also being reported against military and civilian personnel.
Lenses maintain visual acuity while blocking 532nm green laser dazzle
Cambium's LEP lenses are designed to filter disorienting green laser dazzle while preserving instrument-panel readability and color contrast during night flights. The company states the lenses deliver photostability under hundreds of seconds of continuous 532nm laser exposure, full-spectrum coverage across visible and near-infrared threats, and prescription-compatible, form-factor agnostic construction.
Product emerges from SentinelOps photonics platform launched in July 2026
The eyewear is the first commercial output from Cambium's SentinelOps platform, a dual-use tunable LEP and directed-energy protection system launched in July 2026. Cambium has additional SentinelOps products in development, including helmet-based systems, satellite and ground sensors, cockpit windshield and porthole windows, and heads-up displays.
Military-grade LEP variant is next in Cambium's development queue
Cambium is developing a separate LEP product for military personnel under US government and internal funding, positioned as the next SentinelOps release. Stephan Herrera, Cambium co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, said partnering with Flying Eyes gives the company "a proven commercial product and frame that pilots already seek out and trust," allowing the technology to reach cockpits ahead of standard procurement timelines.
Cambium credited the BioMADE consortium for contributions supporting the product's development.