Helicopters over Compton
Live helicopter tracking for Compton, Los Angeles — updated every few seconds.
Checking the sky over Compton…
The sky over Compton
By hour of day
Who flies over Compton
- Private62%
- Sheriff28%
- News4%
- Police4%
- Fire / medical1%
- Other1%
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, 11:01 AMPrivateN7024U · R22800 ft14 minW
- Jul 25, 9:45 AMLASDN954LA · AS50300–500 ft1 minSW
- Jul 25, 8:33 AMPrivateN850MH800–900 ft1 minN
- Jul 25, 1:50 AMSheriffN950LA575–750 ft1 minSE
- Jul 24, 10:29 PMSheriffN950LA525–650 ft1 minNW
- Jul 24, 7:55 PMPrivateN329JK150–750 ft2 minN
- Jul 24, 7:22 PMPrivateN329JK150–750 ft3 minW
- Jul 24, 6:54 PMPrivateN444RH775–875 ft1 minW
- Jul 24, 6:31 PMPrivateN995NR900 ft1 minS
- Jul 24, 6:14 PMPrivateN995NR900–1,000 ft1 minN
- Jul 24, 6:01 PMSkyFOX 11 / SkyCALN50Q600–800 ft1 minN
- Jul 24, 5:46 PMPrivateN329JK200–750 ft2 minNW
- Jul 24, 5:36 PMPoliceN226LA475–675 ft7 minS
- Jul 24, 3:05 PMPrivateN329JK125–675 ft2 minW
- Jul 24, 2:18 PMPrivateN444RH675–750 ft1 minNE
- Jul 24, 2:15 PMPrivateN74426200–900 ft25 minW
- Jul 24, 2:13 PMPrivateN995NR100–900 ft19 minW
- Jul 24, 2:06 PMPrivateN338JD775–850 ft1 minSW
- Jul 24, 1:53 PMPrivateN74426200–800 ft19 minW
- Jul 24, 1:31 PMPrivateN329JK100–625 ft2 minNW
- Jul 24, 1:10 PMPrivateN329JK100–650 ft3 minSW
- Jul 24, 10:45 AMUS ARMY18-209804,525 ft5 minNW
- Jul 24, 9:43 AMPrivateN8312T1,475 ft50 minW
- Jul 24, 7:29 AMSheriffN958LA750–1,000 ft4 minNE
- Jul 23, 11:25 PMSheriffN950LA625–750 ft5 minN
- Jul 23, 11:08 PMSheriffN950LA750–775 ft1 minN
- Jul 23, 10:57 PMSheriffN950LA400–600 ft3 minSW
- Jul 23, 8:04 PMPrivateN329JK150–800 ft3 minNE
- Jul 23, 7:59 PMPrivateN744HS900 ft1 minSW
- Jul 23, 7:50 PMPoliceN226LA525–600 ft1 minN
- Jul 23, 7:42 PMPrivateN744HS800 ft1 minN
- Jul 23, 6:44 PMPrivateN329JK150–750 ft3 minNW
- Jul 23, 6:36 PMPrivateN821JP225–800 ft8 minW
- Jul 23, 4:56 PMPrivateN329JK175–775 ft2 minN
- Jul 23, 4:26 PMSheriffN959LA600–650 ft1 minNE
- Jul 23, 4:15 PMPrivateN544FA750–900 ft1 minN
- Jul 23, 3:44 PMPrivateN777UH1,725 ft21 minW
- Jul 23, 3:18 PMPrivateN41842200–1,200 ft29 minW
- Jul 23, 2:52 PMPrivateN544FA850–950 ft1 minS
- Jul 23, 2:40 PMSheriffN959LA650–750 ft3 minE
Nearby coverage
Helicopters over Compton: common questions
Why is there a helicopter over Compton?
Most helicopter activity over Compton 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 Compton?
Based on 560 tracked passes over Compton, 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.