Helicopters over Carson

Live helicopter tracking for Carson, Los Angeles County — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

Carson, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

GTLA AirWatch · Live area briefing · positions from ADS-B, rechecked every 20 seconds

Map of Carson, Los Angeles County
Scanning
Live map — checking for helicopters over Carson… The dashed ring is the 3.5 km radius this page counts as “over Carson”; inner rings mark one-third and two-thirds of that distance.

Today over Carson

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 20 minutes ago, heading southwest.

Verbs like “held over” and “circled” describe the recorded flight path, not what was happening on the ground. Nothing here states a crime, a fire or a casualty.

Who's hovering here?View the full live map

Recent incidents over Carson

The sky over Carson

1,153helicopter passes tracked over 66 days
122.3
passes per week
5.2
hours overhead per week
10 AM
busiest hour
Private
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 10a · this hour (1p) has averaged 84 passes historically

Who flies over Carson

  • Private64%
  • Sheriff14%
  • Police14%
  • News4%
  • Fire / medical3%
  • Other1%

The regulars over Carson

The aircraft recorded here most often — the ones you’ll see again.

Who flies over Carson, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over Carson

742 of 1,153 recorded passes over Carson were private and charter helicopters — 64% of the traffic here, 29.7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Emerald City Aircraft (N7530M), 20 recorded passestypically 600–900 ft

Private and charter aircraft are usually in transit, on a tour or a survey flight, and pass through without stopping.

Sheriff's helicopters over Carson

164 of 1,153 recorded passes over Carson were sheriff's helicopters — 14% of the traffic here, 9.7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N953LA), 9 recorded passestypically 450–750 ft

Sheriff's aircraft fly patrol, search and rescue across the county, and orbit a scene the same way police aircraft do.

Police helicopters over Carson

157 of 1,153 recorded passes over Carson were police helicopters — 14% of the traffic here, 6.1 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LAPD (N232LA), 5 recorded passesusually 8am–11amtypically 500–650 ft

Police aircraft typically fly tight, repeated orbits over one spot to support officers on the ground, and can hold for a long time.

News helicopters over Carson

44 of 1,153 recorded passes over Carson were news helicopters — 4% of the traffic here, 1.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: SkyCAL / SkyFOX 11 (N39CL), 4 recorded passesusually 4pm–7pmtypically 700–900 ft

News helicopters hold a wider circle at a higher altitude and arrive after a story is already underway; several at once usually means something is being covered live.

What it usually means

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.

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.

Recent helicopter activity

Nearby coverage

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Helicopters over Carson common questions

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Carson?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 14% of the 1,153 helicopter passes recorded over Carson. The one you see most is LASD (N953LA), 9 recorded passes. They typically fly at 450–750 ft above sea level. Sheriff's aircraft fly patrol, search and rescue across the county, and orbit a scene the same way police aircraft do.

Why is a police helicopter circling over Carson?

Police helicopters account for 14% of the 1,153 helicopter passes recorded over Carson. The one you see most is LAPD (N232LA), 5 recorded passes. They are usually 8am–11am here. They typically fly at 500–650 ft above sea level. Police aircraft typically fly tight, repeated orbits over one spot to support officers on the ground, and can hold for a long time.

Is that a news helicopter over Carson?

News helicopters account for 4% of the 1,153 helicopter passes recorded over Carson. The one you see most is SkyCAL / SkyFOX 11 (N39CL), 4 recorded passes. They are usually 4pm–7pm here. They typically fly at 700–900 ft above sea level. News helicopters hold a wider circle at a higher altitude and arrive after a story is already underway; several at once usually means something is being covered live.

How high do helicopters fly over Carson?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 600–900 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 450–750 ft; police helicopters at 500–650 ft; news helicopters at 700–900 ft. These are the middle half of measured altitudes above sea level for each group, not a floor or a ceiling.

How long do helicopters stay over Carson?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 29.7 hours overhead across 742 recorded passes. Private and charter aircraft are usually in transit, on a tour or a survey flight, and pass through without stopping.

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.

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.

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