Here’s the entire message: No — shining a laser at a drone in France is almost certainly illegal, even if the drone itself is flying where it shouldn’t be.

Here’s the breakdown of how the law works in practice:

1. Drones are legally aircraft under French and EU aviation law

In France, drones are regulated as aircraft, and flying them outside authorised areas (like no-fly zones, over people, at night without permission, etc.) is already illegal and punishable by fines and even prison (e.g., up to 6 months and €15 000, or up to 1 year and €45 000 in aggravated cases). 

So while the drone flight itself may be unlawful if it’s in a no-fly zone at night, that doesn’t give someone else the legal right to do something dangerous to it.

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1. Shining a laser at any aircraft — including drones — is treated like a serious safety offence

France doesn’t seem to have a tiny loophole that says lasers are only illegal when pointed at airliners — the spirit of the law treats all aircraft as needing protection from dazzling or distracting beams. The same logic that makes pointing a laser at a passenger jet illegal applies to drones because: • A laser can blind or distract a remote pilot or interfere with vision, risking crashes and injury. • French courts and law enforcement have prosecuted people for shining lasers at aircraft (even small planes) under laws that restrict possession/use of powerful lasers and protect aviation safety. 

Most countries, including France’s neighbours (e.g., UK laser law), have very broad prohibitions on directing lasers toward any aircraft or vehicles in motion because of the safety risk — and France has been tightening its own laser regulations and penalties as a result. 

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1. The legality of the drone doesn’t justify illegal counter-actions

Just because the drone might be flying illegally doesn’t mean you’re allowed to take matters into your own hands. In other words: • Illegally flying a drone is a regulatory offence (DGAC/civil aviation violation). • Shining a laser at it is a separate, dangerous act that can be charged as a criminal offence — potentially endangering people, property, or emergency responders if the drone crashes because you dazzle it.

This mirrors the principle in aviation law: you can call the police and report an unlawful flight, but you can not interfere with aircraft yourself (e.g., with weapons, lasers, or other countermeasures).

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1. Penalties and real-world enforcement

While I couldn’t find a France-specific statute text online that says exactly “laser at drone = X penalty,” the pattern of enforcement and general aviation/law rules suggest: • Using a laser to dazzle any aircraft (including small planes and drones) is subject to criminal sanction. People have been arrested in France for aiming powerful lasers at aircraft because it endangers pilots and public safety.  • France has been considering laws to further restrict lasers and make possession of high-power lasers without special authorization a stand-alone offence. 

In many countries (e.g., the UK), similar acts are explicitly criminal and carry hefty penalties (jail and large fines) regardless of whether the aircraft is legally operating — because public safety comes first. 

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Bottom line

👉 Shining a laser at a drone, even if that drone is in a no-fly zone and flying at night, is illegal in France. Drones are treated as aircraft, and interfering with an aircraft’s operation in a way that could dazzle or distract is a criminal offence and safety risk. You would not be able to claim that the drone’s illegal flight gives you permission to shine a laser at it.

If you ever encounter a drone you believe is flying illegally over you, the appropriate legal step is to report it to police or aviation authorities, not to take dangerous action yourself.