Helicopters over Downtown
Live helicopter tracking for Downtown, Los Angeles — updated every few seconds.
Checking the sky over Downtown…
Recent incidents over Downtown
- 🚨 SkyCAL / SkyFOX 11 + LASD tracking a pursuit over Arts District · Arts District
✅ Pursuit coverage concluded after 10 min — aircraft breaking off. Replay + alerts: gtla.live/i/pursuit-arts-district--772?src=story
Jul 24, 2:09 PM PT Watch the replay
- 🚁 News Swarm · Boyle Heights
The subject has climbed to the top of an arch in the middle of the bridge
Jul 24, 11:06 AM PT Watch the replay
- 🚁 News Swarm · Pico-Union
2 news helicopters converging over Pico-Union.
Jul 22, 6:16 AM PT Watch the replay
- 🚨 LAPD is pursuing burglary suspects in Central Division near Downtown Los Angeles. · Downtown
✅ Pursuit coverage concluded after 8 min — aircraft breaking off. Replay + alerts: gtla.live/i/pursuit-downtown--597?src=story
Jul 14, 9:05 PM PT Watch the replay
- 🚨 LAPD pursued a vehicle at high speed through Chinatown in Los Angeles Saturday evening. · Chinatown
✅ Pursuit coverage concluded after 14 min — aircraft breaking off. Replay + alerts: gtla.live/i/pursuit-chinatown--444?src=story
Jul 5, 11:32 PM PT
- 🚨 LAPD pursued a vehicle through Chinatown at high speed on Saturday evening. · Chinatown
✅ Pursuit coverage concluded after 10 min — aircraft breaking off. Replay + alerts: gtla.live/i/pursuit-chinatown--419?src=story
Jul 4, 6:26 PM PT
The sky over Downtown
By hour of day
Who flies over Downtown
- Police63%
- Private20%
- News13%
- Sheriff2%
- Military1%
- Other1%
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 25, 11:05 AMLAPDN229LA · AS50825–900 ft1 minNE
- Jul 25, 10:51 AMLAPDN224LA · AS50750–800 ft1 minSW
- Jul 25, 8:30 AMPoliceN230LA1,025 ft16 minW
- Jul 25, 8:13 AMPoliceN230LA825–925 ft1 minN
- Jul 25, 7:34 AMPoliceN230LA825–1,125 ft2 minSW
- Jul 25, 1:44 AMPoliceN230LA875–1,025 ft1 minE
- Jul 25, 12:43 AMPoliceN230LA950–1,150 ft3 minNE
- Jul 24, 11:51 PMPoliceN230LA825–900 ft1 minE
- Jul 24, 10:30 PMSkyFOX 11 / SkyCALN50Q1,000–1,300 ft8 minSW
- Jul 24, 10:02 PMAIR7N71HD1,250–1,450 ft1 minN
- Jul 24, 8:23 PMPrivateN825VJ1,600 ft1 minE
- Jul 24, 7:56 PMPoliceN230LA1,000–1,175 ft3 minN
- Jul 24, 7:47 PMPrivateN329JK900–1,275 ft4 minS
- Jul 24, 7:27 PMPoliceN230LA800–875 ft1 minNE
- Jul 24, 7:17 PMPrivateN329JK1,025–1,250 ft1 minS
- Jul 24, 7:12 PMPrivateN825VJ1,400–1,600 ft2 minN
- Jul 24, 6:49 PMPrivateN821MR1,325–1,425 ft3 minE
- Jul 24, 6:21 PMPrivateN995NR1,300 ft1 minNW
- Jul 24, 6:14 PMPoliceN224LA825–875 ft1 minSE
- Jul 24, 5:41 PMPrivateN329JK1,050–1,250 ft1 minS
- Jul 24, 5:39 PMPoliceN224LA775–825 ft1 minE
- Jul 24, 5:25 PMPrivateN850MH1,400–1,500 ft1 minNW
- Jul 24, 5:21 PMPoliceN226LA1,125–1,150 ft1 minNE
- Jul 24, 4:42 PMPrivateN95MG1,525–1,600 ft1 minNW
- Jul 24, 4:04 PMPoliceN226LA975–1,125 ft1 minNW
- Jul 24, 3:52 PMPoliceN226LA1,025–1,075 ft1 minW
- Jul 24, 2:09 PMAIR7 (backup)N29HD1,600–2,100 ft12 minN
- Jul 24, 2:09 PMNewsChopper 4N358TV1,375–1,600 ft8 minNE
- Jul 24, 2:02 PMSheriffN958LA550–675 ft3 minNE
- Jul 24, 2:01 PMSkyCAL / SkyFOX 11N39CL1,500–1,800 ft18 minNW
- Jul 24, 1:20 PMPrivateN329JK700–750 ft1 minNW
- Jul 24, 1:14 PMPoliceN226LA950–1,025 ft1 minW
- Jul 24, 12:35 PMPoliceN226LA850–900 ft1 minNE
- Jul 24, 11:47 AMPoliceN226LA875–925 ft1 minNE
- Jul 24, 11:34 AMPoliceN226LA975–1,150 ft2 minNW
- Jul 24, 10:47 AMPoliceN8NF1,000–1,500 ft3 minNE
- Jul 24, 9:57 AMSkyCAL / SkyFOX 11N39CL1,400 ft1 minNE
- Jul 24, 9:02 AMPoliceN232LA675–900 ft15 minNE
- Jul 24, 6:32 AMSkyCAL / SkyFOX 11N39CL1,000–1,200 ft1 minE
- Jul 23, 11:08 PMPoliceN233LA800–1,000 ft1 minE
Nearby coverage
Helicopters over Downtown: common questions
Why is there a helicopter over Downtown?
Most helicopter activity over Downtown 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 Downtown?
Based on 528 tracked passes over Downtown, the most common hour for helicopter activity is around 11am 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.