Helicopters over Burbank
Live helicopter tracking for Burbank, Los Angeles — updated every few seconds.
Checking the sky over Burbank…
Recent incidents over Burbank
- 🔥 Fire Aircraft On Scene · over Hillside District
DEVELOPING (unconfirmed): 2 firefighting aircraft + 1 news heli(s) working a scene over Hillside District. On scene: N305FD (A139), N306FD (B06), N828AP (AS50). Detected via GTLA AirWatch aircraft tracking — details developing.
Jul 21, 8:00 PM PT Watch the replay
- 🔥 Fire Aircraft On Scene · over Hillside District
DEVELOPING (unconfirmed): 3 firefighting aircraft + 1 news heli(s) working a scene over Hillside District. On scene: N303FD (A139), N305FD (A139), N306FD (B06), N828AP (AS50). Detected via GTLA AirWatch aircraft tracking — details developing.
Jul 21, 8:00 PM PT Watch the replay
- 🚁 News Helicopters Converging · over Grand Central
DEVELOPING: 3 news helicopters converging over Grand Central — a story is forming. N29LW (AS50), N71HD (AS50), N925TV (AS50). Detected via GTLA AirWatch.
Jul 16, 10:27 PM PT Watch the replay
- 📡 NewsChopper 4 Bravo + Sky5 converging on a developing story over Burbank · Burbank
NewsChopper 4 Bravo + Sky5 working a developing story · verified via owner (not confirmed as a pursuit)
Jul 16, 5:06 PM PT Watch the replay
The sky over Burbank
By hour of day
Who flies over Burbank
- Police49%
- News30%
- Private11%
- Sheriff5%
- Fire / medical5%
- Other1%
What it usually means
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.
News helicopter: News helicopters usually mean live coverage of a developing story — a pursuit, a fire, or a scene the station is broadcasting.
Private / civil: Private and civil helicopters are usually in transit, on a charter, or on a survey flight.
Sheriff (LASD): Sheriff's helicopters typically orbit for a search, a pursuit, or to support deputies on the ground.
Recent helicopter activity
- Jul 25, 9:10 AMPrivateN411MB1,775–1,925 ft1 minNW
- Jul 25, 9:10 AMPrivateN23HS1,600–1,675 ft1 minNW
- Jul 24, 11:23 PMPoliceN229LA1,075–1,150 ft1 minSE
- Jul 24, 11:16 PMNewsChopper 4N358TV925–1,600 ft2 minNW
- Jul 24, 9:25 PMNewsChopper 4N358TV1,225–1,325 ft1 minSE
- Jul 24, 9:25 PMSky5N925TV1,350–1,375 ft1 minSE
- Jul 24, 8:56 PMPoliceN229LA1,175–1,325 ft1 minNW
- Jul 24, 8:46 PMPoliceN818PD1,525–1,950 ft7 minNW
- Jul 24, 7:45 PMPoliceN818PD1,400–1,875 ft3 minS
- Jul 24, 7:31 PMPoliceN818PD1,100–1,225 ft1 minSE
- Jul 24, 5:27 PMSky5N925TV1,575–1,625 ft1 minNW
- Jul 24, 4:13 PMPrivateN95MG2,150–2,525 ft2 minSE
- Jul 24, 3:12 PMPoliceN818PD1,450–1,800 ft2 minNW
- Jul 24, 2:49 PMPoliceN818PD1,450–1,950 ft15 minSE
- Jul 24, 2:20 PMNewsChopper 4N358TV1,400–1,500 ft1 minNW
- Jul 24, 2:04 PMNewsChopper 4N358TV1,225–1,375 ft1 minSE
- Jul 24, 1:56 PMPrivateN825VJ1,900–3,100 ft2 minE
- Jul 24, 1:35 PMPoliceN818PD1,175–1,675 ft5 minSW
- Jul 24, 9:51 AMNewsChopper 4N358TV1,275–1,350 ft1 minSE
- Jul 24, 9:39 AMPoliceN8NF1,300–1,500 ft1 minE
- Jul 24, 9:33 AMPoliceN8NF1,300–1,500 ft3 minNW
- Jul 24, 9:16 AMSky5N925TV1,325–1,450 ft1 minSE
- Jul 24, 7:23 AMNewsChopper 4N358TV1,325–1,525 ft1 minNW
- Jul 24, 7:16 AMFire/EMSN822LA1,450–1,525 ft1 minNW
- Jul 24, 6:37 AMLA Co FDN110LA1,200–1,300 ft1 minNW
- Jul 23, 10:34 PMSheriffN958LA1,250–1,275 ft1 minSE
- Jul 23, 9:00 PMPoliceN223LA1,125–1,150 ft1 minSE
- Jul 23, 5:52 PMPrivateN703WP1,200–1,300 ft1 minNW
- Jul 23, 3:59 PMSheriffN958LA1,275–1,325 ft1 minNW
- Jul 23, 3:10 PMNewsChopper 4N358TV1,350–1,475 ft1 minNW
- Jul 23, 2:59 PMPoliceN818PD1,750–2,075 ft1 minNW
- Jul 23, 2:14 PMPoliceN818PD1,325–1,475 ft1 minE
- Jul 23, 9:58 AMSky5N925TV1,150–1,175 ft1 minSE
- Jul 23, 8:09 AMSky5N925TV1,050–1,150 ft1 minNW
- Jul 23, 6:59 AMLA Co FDN110LA1,300–1,400 ft1 minNW
- Jul 23, 6:54 AMPoliceN818PD1,075–2,150 ft47 minNW
- Jul 23, 2:36 AMPrivateN435AK1,700–1,900 ft1 minE
- Jul 22, 11:13 PMNewsChopper 4N358TV1,000–1,400 ft3 minNW
- Jul 22, 10:46 PMSheriffN955LA1,100–1,175 ft1 minSE
- Jul 22, 10:38 PMPrivateN308EH1,500 ft1 minSE
Nearby coverage
Helicopters over Burbank: common questions
Why is there a helicopter over Burbank?
Most helicopter activity over Burbank 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 Burbank?
Based on 386 tracked passes over Burbank, the most common hour for helicopter activity is around 7pm 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.