In a textbook case of a startup landing the perfect early adopter, Halifax-based Lamda Guard announced Wednesday that it has signed a deal with Airbus to jointly develop its technology to protect planes from laser attacks.

The world’s largest aircraft maker will cooperate with the Nova Scotian startup on the development of a transparent, flexible film that can go over the aircraft windshields to block out laser beams. The shield is necessary because aircraft pilots are increasingly subject to people – from terrorists to pranksters – shining lasers at cockpit windows to blind the crew.

Lamda Guard is the brainchild of Founder and CEO George Palikaras, a PhD who has developed a metamaterial that uses nanotechnology to filter out, absorb or enhance certain forms of light. Palikaras and his team are working on various applications, but chose to focus first on a laser shield because the pain of laser attacks is so pronounced.

``It was solving something that was real,” said Palikaras in an interview.  “It was also something that was very close to my heart because in my home country laser attacks are a problem. At basketball games, players are lased. In the street, Police are lased.”

He added that the pain is growing as laser attacks on aircraft in the U.S., according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, have risen from 300 in 2005 to almost 4,000 in 2013.

Palikaras is an expert in metamaterials, which are synthetic materials that have properties not found in nature. It is a rapidly growing academic discipline with huge commercial applications, and Palikaras said his goal is to make Atlantic Canada a global leader in metamaterial research and development.

Under the deal with Airbus, the European company will put up about $1 million in human and other resources to help Lamda Guard test and commercialize its technology in the first phase.  Then in phase two, it will help the company get certification and more testing at a cost of several million dollars. Palikaras said a confidentiality clause prevented him from discussing the financial details.

"At Airbus, we are always on the lookout for new ideas coming from innovative SMEs, such as Lamda Guard,” said Senior Vice President of Innovation Yann Barbaux in a statement. “We are very pleased to explore together the potential application of this solution to our aircraft, for the benefit of our customers."

Palikaras has formed a Nova Scotian holding company Metamaterials Technology Inc., which has three divisions overseeing different aspects of the company’s research. Lamda Guard deals with blocking light. Lamda Solar focuses on absorbing light. And Lamda Lux concentrates of solutions that enhance light.  

The company, whose chairman is Atlantic Composites founder Maurice Guitton, has struck research partnerships with University of Moncton and the University of New Brunswick. It has raised $600,000 from private investors and received loan commitments of $500,000 from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s Business Development Program.

Palikaras said his company is now working on a fund-raising round with a goal of about $2.5 million.