Helicopters over Cerritos
Live helicopter tracking for Cerritos, Los Angeles — updated every few seconds.
Checking the sky over Cerritos…
The sky over Cerritos
By hour of day
Who flies over Cerritos
- Police53%
- Private27%
- News8%
- Sheriff6%
- Military3%
- Other3%
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.
Private / civil: Private and civil helicopters are usually in transit, on a charter, or on a survey flight.
News helicopter: News helicopters usually mean live coverage of a developing story — a pursuit, a fire, or a scene the station is broadcasting.
Sheriff (LASD): Sheriff's helicopters typically orbit for a search, a pursuit, or to support deputies on the ground.
Recent helicopter activity
- Jul 24, 10:27 PMPrivateN992VA1,000–1,100 ft1 minE
- Jul 24, 10:08 PMPrivateN992VA900–1,000 ft1 minW
- Jul 24, 10:03 PMPrivateN930DK500–700 ft18 minW
- Jul 24, 7:33 PMPrivateN930DK550–600 ft1 minSW
- Jul 24, 7:11 PMPrivateN930DK550–800 ft2 minS
- Jul 24, 6:12 PMPrivateN930DK450–725 ft17 minNW
- Jul 23, 10:08 PMSkyKnightN130SK600–825 ft12 minNW
- Jul 23, 9:49 PMSkyKnightN130SK600–700 ft5 minW
- Jul 23, 9:41 PMSkyKnightN130SK625–675 ft1 minSW
- Jul 23, 9:31 PMSkyKnightN130SK575–750 ft6 minNW
- Jul 23, 9:11 PMSkyKnightN130SK400–500 ft3 minW
- Jul 23, 7:21 PMSkyKnightN130SK550–650 ft14 minW
- Jul 23, 6:16 PMSkyKnightN130SK475–725 ft11 minW
- Jul 23, 6:14 PMPrivateN995NR800–900 ft2 minW
- Jul 23, 9:40 AMFire/EMSN302FD650–925 ft10 minS
- Jul 23, 9:33 AMFire/EMSN302FD725–1,025 ft1 minSE
- Jul 23, 9:03 AMPrivateN121NC1,025–1,050 ft1 minSE
- Jul 22, 10:50 PMUS ARMY20-211681,325–1,450 ft1 minSE
- Jul 22, 10:08 PMSkyKnightN130SK525–750 ft17 minSW
- Jul 22, 10:04 PMSkyKnightN130SK575–675 ft1 minW
- Jul 22, 9:44 PMSkyKnightN130SK375–750 ft4 minW
- Jul 22, 6:56 PMSkyKnightN130SK400–550 ft6 minW
- Jul 22, 6:37 PMSkyKnightN130SK500–625 ft14 minSW
- Jul 22, 12:13 PMSky5N925TV800–900 ft1 minNW
- Jul 22, 11:59 AMABC NewsCopterN828AP1,200 ft1 minNW
- Jul 21, 10:39 PMPrivateN7024U900–1,000 ft2 minW
- Jul 21, 10:24 PMSkyKnightN130SK450–700 ft13 minW
- Jul 21, 9:46 PMSkyKnightN130SK475–575 ft11 minW
- Jul 21, 9:41 PMSkyKnightN130SK550–650 ft2 minS
- Jul 21, 9:00 PMMercy AirN908KB1,000–1,025 ft1 minNE
- Jul 21, 8:29 PMPrivateN7024U1,000–1,100 ft1 minSE
- Jul 21, 8:18 PMCHPN979HP875–950 ft1 minW
- Jul 21, 6:48 PMSkyKnightN130SK425–600 ft6 minN
- Jul 21, 6:33 PMSkyKnightN130SK325–600 ft10 minN
- Jul 21, 6:24 PMSkyKnightN130SK475–575 ft1 minW
- Jul 21, 12:15 AMSheriffN950LA825–975 ft1 minW
- Jul 20, 8:11 PMPrivateN826PD600–900 ft3 minSE
- Jul 20, 2:10 PMOrange Co SheriffN184SD800–900 ft1 minSE
- Jul 20, 1:44 PMOrange Co SheriffN184SD800 ft1 minNW
- Jul 19, 8:45 PMPrivateN544FA925–1,075 ft1 minSE
Nearby coverage
Helicopters over Cerritos: common questions
Why is there a helicopter over Cerritos?
Most helicopter activity over Cerritos 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 Cerritos?
Based on 172 tracked passes over Cerritos, the most common hour for helicopter activity is around 10pm 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.