Palmerston North residents were roused from their sleep by helicopters whirring over their homes on Wednesday night.

Pilots are reporting a frightening increase in laser strikes, a phenomenon that can lead to temporary blindness and leave aircraft in peril.

In the latest incident, many Palmerston North residents were woken by the sound of helicopters on Wednesday night as the crews searched for the perpetrator of a night-time strike on a military helicopter.

Flight Training Manawatu pilots have experienced six strikes since mid-2016, which CEO Phillip Bedford said was made worse by stronger lasers.

SUPPLIED New Zealand Air Force helicopters helped police search for a person who shone a laser light at one of their aircraft.

"As technology advances, the lasers become more strong and powerful."

Lasers were readily available, as many people used them for teaching purposes, Bedford said, and he noticed a sharp increase over the past two years.

READ MORE:

* Laser strike on international flight from Brisbane to Christchurch

* Laser strikes on aircraft: What you need to know

* Christchurch man on bail after allegedly pointing laser at planes

* Pilot reports laser strike against aircraft near Huntly

* Several international flights targeted by laser strikes near Auckland Airport

"I think people don't realise how dangerous it is.

"It basically lights up the whole flight deck."

It took about 30 minutes for a person's eyes to adapt to flying at night and this could be taken away within seconds, Bedford said.

A Flight Training pilot saw a laser light up the sky on Wednesday night as a person aimed it at two aircraft about 10.30pm.

And, after a person aimed a laser at a military aircraft, helicopters whirled above Palmerston North as police and air force pilots searched for person responsible.

The air force was conducting a routine training exercise over the city when they reported a laser strike.

In a statement, a police spokeswoman said the strike came from the Westbrook suburb, and a police dog unit helped officers in searching the area for the people responsible.

No-one was found, but inquiries were ongoing, she said.

A New Zealand Defence Force spokesman said the air force was asked by the police to help with the search.

The aircraft targeted by the laser strike was an air force helicopter doing routine night-vision goggle training at Palmerston North Airport.

It then took part in the search. "The aircraft remained at a safe and normal operating altitude throughout."

People in Westbrook, Highbury and Cloverlea reported flashing lights and loud noises over their homes.

Westbrook resident Jane Stevenson-Wright said she noticed a helicopter about 11pm and headed outdoors, where she saw a police dog and car on Havelock Ave.

"The helicopter was hovering for a while. It was just going around and around.

"It was searching. It was low down."

Highbury man Richard Lucinsky said the commotion woke his son.

"It was buzzing around. It was circling around our house."

Red flashing lights, thought to be infrared lights, seemed to be searching for someone, he said.

"It was pretty well lit up."

Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter base manager and pilot Chris Moody said one of its pilots was also targeted on Wednesday night.

"It was only momentarily shining. It was someone in the same vicinity."

Lasers could have serious effects on pilots and strikes were not taken lightly, he said.

"We do view it very dimly. There is a risk there that pilots' night vision can be impaired. It's a serious matter.

"It's probably generally due to ignorance of the perpetrator in terms of seriousness of what they are doing."

Police previously received reports of a laser pointing at vehicles in Palmerston North on February 4.

There had also been three reports of lasers pointed at aircraft in the wider Auckland region in February, and four incidents of people reporting lasers shone at vehicles in Matakana, Dunedin and Wellington.