Helicopters over Lakewood

Live helicopter tracking for Lakewood, Los Angeles County — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

Lakewood, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Today over Lakewood

Nothing overhead now — quiet for the last 2 hours.

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

Recent incidents over Lakewood

The sky over Lakewood

1,260helicopter passes tracked over 66 days
133.6
passes per week
8.3
hours overhead per week
10 PM
busiest hour
Police
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 10p · this hour (2p) has averaged 48 passes historically

Who flies over Lakewood

  • Police41%
  • Private28%
  • Sheriff26%
  • News3%
  • CHP1%
  • Other0%

The regulars over Lakewood

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

Who flies over Lakewood, by the numbers

Police helicopters over Lakewood

520 of 1,260 recorded passes over Lakewood were police helicopters — 41% of the traffic here, 49.9 hours overhead in total.

Most often: SkyKnight (N930DK), 89 recorded passesusually 9pm–12amtypically 400–650 ft

Police aircraft typically fly tight, repeated orbits over one spot to support officers on the ground, and can hold for a long time.

Private and charter helicopters over Lakewood

357 of 1,260 recorded passes over Lakewood were private and charter helicopters — 28% of the traffic here, 16.4 hours overhead in total.

typically 500–650 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 Lakewood

333 of 1,260 recorded passes over Lakewood were sheriff's helicopters — 26% of the traffic here, 9.1 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N959LA), 17 recorded passestypically 450–600 ft

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

News helicopters over Lakewood

38 of 1,260 recorded passes over Lakewood were news helicopters — 3% of the traffic here, 2.1 hours overhead in total.

Most often: ABC NewsCopter (N828AP), 4 recorded passestypically 650–1,200 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

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.

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.

Recent helicopter activity

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Helicopters over Lakewood common questions

Why is a police helicopter circling over Lakewood?

Police helicopters account for 41% of the 1,260 helicopter passes recorded over Lakewood. The one you see most is SkyKnight (N930DK), 89 recorded passes. They are usually 9pm–12am here. They typically fly at 400–650 ft above sea level. Police aircraft typically fly tight, repeated orbits over one spot to support officers on the ground, and can hold for a long time.

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Lakewood?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 26% of the 1,260 helicopter passes recorded over Lakewood. The one you see most is LASD (N959LA), 17 recorded passes. They typically fly at 450–600 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 Lakewood?

News helicopters account for 3% of the 1,260 helicopter passes recorded over Lakewood. The one you see most is ABC NewsCopter (N828AP), 4 recorded passes. They typically fly at 650–1,200 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 Lakewood?

From the passes recorded here: police helicopters at 400–650 ft; private and charter helicopters at 500–650 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 450–600 ft; news helicopters at 650–1,200 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 Lakewood?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are police helicopters: 49.9 hours overhead across 520 recorded passes. Police aircraft typically fly tight, repeated orbits over one spot to support officers on the ground, and can hold for a long time.

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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