University of Arizona and University of Central Florida optical scientists say laser beams of high-energy focused light can strip electrons from molecules in the air. This ionizes the molecules and leaves behind a plasma channel, which a lightning strike would see as a path of least resistance. Their solution was to embed the high-intensity laser in the middle of a beam of lower intensity they call the dress beam. Using models to scale up their innovation, they believe they could extend it to 165 feet in real-world conditions.”]
Source: https://gizmodo.com/can-lasers-protect-buildings-from-lightning-1562222207