Helicopters over Dana Point

Live helicopter tracking for Dana Point, Orange County — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

Dana Point, Orange County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Today over Dana Point

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 48 minutes ago, heading east.

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
CONCLUDED12:23 PM–12:39 PM

2 news helicopters covered Dana Point for 16 minutes. They have gone.

ABC7 is reporting on this — their reporting, linked below.

STATION COVERAGE
HOW IT UNFOLDED
🎞️ Watch it back — the recorded flight paths →

◉ measured · ◇ inferred · ▣ our newsroom · last tick 12:39 PM PT

Recent incidents over Dana Point

The sky over Dana Point

496helicopter passes tracked over 64 days
54.3
passes per week
2.5
hours overhead per week
12 PM
busiest hour
Private
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 12p · this hour (2p) has averaged 49 passes historically

Who flies over Dana Point

  • Private46%
  • Sheriff27%
  • Military19%
  • News3%
  • Fire / medical3%
  • Other2%

The regulars over Dana Point

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

Who flies over Dana Point, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over Dana Point

230 of 496 recorded passes over Dana Point were private and charter helicopters — 46% of the traffic here, 9.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Tsunami Skydivers (N290KC), 11 recorded passesusually 12pm–3pmtypically 450–900 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 Dana Point

133 of 496 recorded passes over Dana Point were sheriff's helicopters — 27% of the traffic here, 7.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N183SD), 58 recorded passestypically 350–850 ft

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

Military helicopters over Dana Point

92 of 496 recorded passes over Dana Point were military helicopters — 19% of the traffic here, 3.9 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Mil / CG (17-20928), 7 recorded passestypically 400–1,000 ft

Military aircraft are almost always transiting between bases or on training flights; they rarely orbit a neighborhood.

News helicopters over Dana Point

15 of 496 recorded passes over Dana Point were news helicopters — 3% of the traffic here, 0.7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: NewsChopper 4 (N358TV), 5 recorded passesusually 10am–1pmtypically 650–1,300 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.

Military: Military aircraft are usually transiting between bases or on a training route rather than responding to anything local.

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

All neighborhoods →

Helicopters over Dana Point common questions

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Dana Point?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 27% of the 496 helicopter passes recorded over Dana Point. The one you see most is LASD (N183SD), 58 recorded passes. They typically fly at 350–850 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.

Is that a news helicopter over Dana Point?

News helicopters account for 3% of the 496 helicopter passes recorded over Dana Point. The one you see most is NewsChopper 4 (N358TV), 5 recorded passes. They are usually 10am–1pm here. They typically fly at 650–1,300 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 Dana Point?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 450–900 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 350–850 ft; military helicopters at 400–1,000 ft; news helicopters at 650–1,300 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 Dana Point?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 9.8 hours overhead across 230 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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