Helicopters over Brea
Live helicopter tracking for Brea, Los Angeles — updated every few seconds.
Checking the sky over Brea…
The sky over Brea
By hour of day
Who flies over Brea
- Private38%
- CHP26%
- News14%
- Police12%
- Sheriff7%
- Other2%
What it usually means
Private / civil: Private and civil helicopters are usually in transit, on a charter, or on a survey flight.
CHP: CHP aircraft are usually working a freeway incident, a pursuit, or a traffic investigation.
News helicopter: News helicopters usually mean live coverage of a developing story — a pursuit, a fire, or a scene the station is broadcasting.
Police (LAPD / municipal): Police helicopters typically orbit for a search, a pursuit, or to support officers on the ground. A tight circle overhead usually means the activity is directly below.
Recent helicopter activity
- Jul 24, 10:10 AMPrivateN821MR1,225–1,375 ft1 minE
- Jul 23, 7:55 AMPrivateN852MH2,100 ft1 minE
- Jul 23, 6:39 AMSkyFOX 11 / SkyCALN50Q900–1,000 ft1 minS
- Jul 22, 3:25 PMPrivateN826PD950–1,200 ft3 minNE
- Jul 21, 8:44 PMPrivateN826PD1,100–1,250 ft2 minSW
- Jul 20, 10:07 PMCHPN979HP1,300–1,450 ft1 minS
- Jul 20, 4:52 PMPrivateN826PD1,150–1,200 ft1 minS
- Jul 18, 6:39 PMSkyFOX 11 / SkyCALN50Q700–800 ft1 minSE
- Jul 18, 5:27 PMNewsChopper 4N358TV1,300–1,375 ft1 minE
- Jul 17, 7:18 PMMercy AirN908KB1,500–2,050 ft1 minSW
- Jul 17, 6:57 PMMercy AirN908KB1,550–1,700 ft1 minNE
- Jul 17, 6:07 PMPrivateN826PD950–1,100 ft1 minSW
- Jul 17, 5:18 PMCHPN984HP1,350–1,400 ft1 minS
- Jul 17, 3:53 PMCHPN984HP1,200–1,350 ft1 minSW
- Jul 17, 9:26 AMPrivateN124AS1,000 ft1 minE
- Jul 16, 7:56 PMCHPN979HP1,400–1,975 ft1 minSW
- Jul 16, 3:21 PMPrivateN562AH1,075–1,275 ft1 minSW
- Jul 16, 10:36 AMPrivateN346GG950–1,000 ft1 minSE
- Jul 15, 3:50 PMPrivateN160AM1,400–1,800 ft1 minSW
- Jul 15, 6:59 AMCHPN979HP1,350–1,625 ft1 minSW
- Jul 15, 5:26 AMCHPN979HP1,450–1,525 ft1 minNE
- Jul 14, 5:36 PMCHPN979HP1,300–1,550 ft1 minSW
- Jul 14, 1:41 PMCHPN979HP1,000–1,225 ft1 minSE
- Jul 13, 6:25 PMCHPN979HP1,300–1,400 ft1 minNE
- Jul 13, 9:56 AMPrivate1,075–1,325 ft1 minNE
- Jul 11, 1:39 AMAnaheim PDN326PD1,200–1,300 ft1 minS
- Jul 10, 6:20 PMSheriffN958LA750–850 ft1 minNW
- Jul 10, 9:37 AMPrivate1,500–1,675 ft1 minE
- Jul 9, 2:15 PMCHPN979HP1,175–1,325 ft1 minSW
- Jul 9, 6:39 AMSkyFOX 11 / SkyCALN50Q1,300–1,600 ft7 minN
- Jul 7, 10:56 PMOrange Co SheriffN184SD1,400 ft1 minS
- Jul 7, 5:09 PMFire/EMSN18LA1,350–1,425 ft1 minS
- Jul 6, 10:25 PMAnaheim PDN326PD1,500 ft2 minE
- Jul 6, 4:06 PMAnaheim PDN326PD1,100–1,500 ft5 minSE
- Jul 6, 12:43 AMCHPN979HP1,200–1,350 ft1 minSW
- Jul 4, 5:53 PMSkyFOX 11 / SkyCALN50Q400–600 ft2 minNW
- Jul 4, 1:01 PMSheriffN953LA775–875 ft1 minSE
- Jul 3, 3:21 PMAnaheim PDN326PD1,100–1,200 ft1 minW
- Jul 3, 12:23 PMNewsChopper 4N358TV1,050–1,400 ft2 minSE
- Jul 3, 12:11 PMAnaheim PDN326PD800–1,300 ft9 minSE
Nearby coverage
Helicopters over Brea: common questions
Why is there a helicopter over Brea?
Most helicopter activity over Brea is one of four things: police aircraft supporting officers on the ground, news helicopters covering a developing story, fire or air-medical aircraft responding to an emergency, or private and military aircraft simply transiting the area. This page shows which one is overhead right now, identified by operator.
How can I tell if it's police or a news helicopter?
Police aircraft usually fly tight, repeated orbits over one spot and often stay for a long time. News helicopters tend to hold a wider circle at a higher altitude and arrive after an incident is already underway. This page labels each aircraft by its operator, so you don't have to guess.
What time do helicopters usually fly over Brea?
Based on 42 tracked passes over Brea, the most common hour for helicopter activity is around 3pm local time. Activity rises during evening news hours and drops sharply overnight.
Where does this data come from?
GTLA AirWatch tracks public ADS-B and MLAT broadcasts that aircraft transmit about their own position, the same open data used by air-traffic enthusiasts worldwide. It is updated every few seconds.