the problem with purely red LEDs is that they are not picked up very well by current generation night vision goggles. I think some of the more modern LED flares have some white LEDs which are visible on goggles. Crews do scan under the goggle with naked eye to check from time to time so should see bright red LEDs. But I have seen someone waving their phone at me three miles away on goggles on a remote hillside. White works really well
But you would have no reason to perceive a “laser flare” as a laser - they are specifically designed NOT to operate like a collimated laser pointer and so to the distant observer are simply a bright red light, usually with a decree of oscillation on the signal which gives a perception similar to a burning flare. In contrast if your cockpit is illuminated with a laser the whole interior of the cockpit would light up the colour of the laser (red/green etc).
I know the current thinking about lasers. What I don’t know is what the manufacturers have done to make sure their product is suitable. What testing has been done? That is something potential customers should be asking the suppliers - it is their responsibility of the manufacturer and consumer to make sure their product is suitable as a distress signal, not the rescuers. Why would a rescue agency want to get involved with investigating the suitability of a myriad of different products from different suppliers built to no specific standard? They would never be able to keep up with an expanding market. If a device is SOLAS approved then it will be recognised as a distress signal by other mariners and rescue agencies. If it is not SOLAS approved then there is a question mark over its suitability. I know we as leisure users don’t necessarily have to comply with SOLAS, but if we want rescuing by the established rescue network, we need to accept that the network is based on some predefined standard of what constitutes a suitable distress signal. You can go and buy a SOLAS approved white strobe light for a dozen pounds - much cheaper than a LED or laser flare and it’s recognised as a distress signal. Clever technology means that we can now have extremely bright lights (lasers) which are so “good” they became potentially hazardous to the human body (which is much slower to adapt) and thereby become counterproductive. Lasers remain a hazard to all human eyeballs whether a pilot, lifeboat crew or other mariner, particularly at close range. If we see a red fan or beam coming towards us (unmistakably a laser) we have to assume that it might temporarily impair our vision and that might render us useless. Remember these laser flares are claimed to have a range of 20 miles or more. That’s not just a bright red light. If you want to use a laser flare, ask the supplier if it has been tested with aircraft and lifeboats. They should know if it has or not.
All the LED Flares I know about have a function to flash in an SOS pattern. If you look at the list of SOLAS distress signals (the one we're all supposed to carry), a light flashing SOS is an internationally recognized distress signal. Therefore, LED flares are SOLAS approved distress signals.
If that’s the case, why aren’t they marketed as SOLAS approved, which immediately open up their market to commercial mariners and be a useful tag line for the rest of us? Are you perhaps confusing SOLAS and Colregs? The key thing here is the issue with red LEDs being very difficult to see with NVIS, which is why some LED flares are now fitted with IR and white LEDs as well as the red ones. But the issue remains, if they were built to an agreed standard, they could be tested and become integrated into the rescue system. But they aren’t and are not claimed to be. Caveat Emptor. Don’t get me wrong, I think these devices should be brought into SOLAS/IMO regulations so that we can be comfortable that they will expedite succour in a time of need.
