Laser paint removal technology has the advantages of high efficiency, environmental protection, high safety, real-time monitoring and easy automation, and has become one of the main ways of aircraft paint removal. In this paper, the main methods and mechanisms of laser paint removal technology were analyzed. Secondly, the influence of process parameters on the laser paint removal effect of aircraft skin was summarized, and the design idea of engineering laser paint removal process parameters was proposed. The effectiveness of the design idea was verified by the result of the paint removal of the metal skin of an aircraft. The evaluation methods of laser paint removal effect and the existing technical standards were introduced. Finally, the application examples of laser paint removal for aircraft skin were summarized, and the future research direction and emphasis of laser paint removal technology were prospected.