Helicopters over Colton
Live helicopter tracking for Colton, Los Angeles — updated every few seconds.
Checking the sky over Colton…
The sky over Colton
By hour of day
Who flies over Colton
- Private50%
- Sheriff36%
- News6%
- Police6%
- Military2%
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.
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 25, 1:19 AMSheriffN832SB1,725–1,750 ft1 minE
- Jul 25, 12:44 AMSheriffN832SB1,500–1,600 ft1 minS
- Jul 25, 12:24 AMSheriffN832SB1,550–1,600 ft2 minN
- Jul 24, 11:30 PMPrivateN39RX1,575–1,700 ft1 minE
- Jul 24, 10:16 PMPrivateN37RX7,525 ft1 minN
- Jul 24, 7:06 PMSheriffN832SB1,425–1,600 ft33 minN
- Jul 24, 1:43 PMSheriffN832SB1,400–1,825 ft24 minN
- Jul 24, 9:44 AMPrivateN108EH2,100 ft2 minW
- Jul 24, 2:13 AMPrivateN39RX1,825–2,125 ft1 minNE
- Jul 24, 1:30 AMFontana PDN166PD1,575–1,600 ft1 minW
- Jul 23, 8:36 PMFontana PDN166PD1,500–1,550 ft1 minW
- Jul 23, 5:56 PMPrivateN108EH1,900–2,100 ft2 minW
- Jul 23, 9:14 AMSheriffN831SB1,475–1,500 ft2 minSE
- Jul 23, 7:39 AMPrivateN434AM1,350–1,550 ft1 minW
- Jul 22, 10:56 PMSheriffN831SB1,425–1,475 ft1 minW
- Jul 22, 7:00 PMPrivateN694AM1,700–1,900 ft1 minNE
- Jul 22, 8:29 AMPrivateN821JP1,925–2,125 ft1 minW
- Jul 21, 12:43 PMPrivateN496TP1,850–2,425 ft1 minE
- Jul 21, 12:17 PMSheriffN831SB1,525–1,600 ft1 minN
- Jul 21, 11:13 AMPoliceN668PD1,775–1,875 ft1 minE
- Jul 21, 10:47 AMPrivateN402SM1,900–1,925 ft1 minE
- Jul 21, 6:55 AMPrivateN223AM1,800–2,100 ft1 minN
- Jul 21, 6:14 AMPrivateN223AM1,700–1,900 ft1 minS
- Jul 20, 11:39 PMSheriffN831SB1,550–1,625 ft1 minSE
- Jul 20, 10:18 PMUS ARMY10-721651,475–1,525 ft1 minN
- Jul 20, 11:14 AMPrivateN496TP1,850–2,775 ft1 minE
- Jul 20, 8:00 AMPrivateN821JP1,850–1,925 ft1 minE
- Jul 19, 10:46 PMSheriffN835SB1,375–1,525 ft2 minN
- Jul 19, 10:03 PMSheriffN835SB1,325–1,750 ft9 minN
- Jul 18, 11:54 PMSheriffN831SB1,425–1,525 ft1 minW
- Jul 18, 9:14 PMPrivateN435AK1,700–1,800 ft1 minW
- Jul 18, 12:50 AMSheriffN832SB1,500–1,600 ft1 minN
- Jul 18, 12:41 AMSheriffN832SB1,575–1,700 ft2 minE
- Jul 18, 12:22 AMSheriffN832SB1,450–1,500 ft1 minNW
- Jul 17, 1:18 PMPrivateN121NC1,950–1,975 ft1 minW
- Jul 17, 9:08 AMPrivate41,550–41,725 ft3 minNE
- Jul 17, 9:06 AMPrivate39,900–39,925 ft2 minNE
- Jul 17, 8:58 AMPrivate43,275–43,575 ft4 minNE
- Jul 17, 12:02 AMSheriffN832SB1,575–1,675 ft1 minS
- Jul 16, 11:04 PMRiverside PDN951RP1,925–2,000 ft1 minS
Nearby coverage
Helicopters over Colton: common questions
Why is there a helicopter over Colton?
Most helicopter activity over Colton 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 Colton?
Based on 88 tracked passes over Colton, the most common hour for helicopter activity is around 12am 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.