Helicopters over Pico-Union

Live helicopter tracking for Pico-Union, Los Angeles County — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

Pico-Union, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Tonight over Pico-Union

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 47 minutes ago, heading west.

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 Pico-Union

The sky over Pico-Union

1,927helicopter passes tracked over 66 days
204.4
passes per week
8.5
hours overhead per week
10 AM
busiest hour
Police
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 10a · this hour (10p) has averaged 76 passes historically

Who flies over Pico-Union

  • Police71%
  • Private12%
  • News11%
  • Sheriff3%
  • Military1%
  • Other1%

The regulars over Pico-Union

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

Who flies over Pico-Union, by the numbers

Police helicopters over Pico-Union

1,366 of 1,927 recorded passes over Pico-Union were police helicopters — 71% of the traffic here, 56.9 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LAPD (N232LA), 48 recorded passestypically 650–900 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 Pico-Union

240 of 1,927 recorded passes over Pico-Union were private and charter helicopters — 12% of the traffic here, 6.2 hours overhead in total.

usually 10am–1pmtypically 1,100–1,600 ft

Private and charter aircraft are usually in transit, on a tour or a survey flight, and pass through without stopping.

News helicopters over Pico-Union

219 of 1,927 recorded passes over Pico-Union were news helicopters — 11% of the traffic here, 14 hours overhead in total.

Most often: SkyCAL / SkyFOX 11 (N39CL), 10 recorded passestypically 1,050–1,400 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.

Sheriff's helicopters over Pico-Union

62 of 1,927 recorded passes over Pico-Union were sheriff's helicopters — 3% of the traffic here, 1.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N958LA), 3 recorded passes

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

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

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Helicopters over Pico-Union common questions

Why is a police helicopter circling over Pico-Union?

Police helicopters account for 71% of the 1,927 helicopter passes recorded over Pico-Union. The one you see most is LAPD (N232LA), 48 recorded passes. They typically fly at 650–900 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 news helicopter over Pico-Union?

News helicopters account for 11% of the 1,927 helicopter passes recorded over Pico-Union. The one you see most is SkyCAL / SkyFOX 11 (N39CL), 10 recorded passes. They typically fly at 1,050–1,400 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.

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Pico-Union?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 3% of the 1,927 helicopter passes recorded over Pico-Union. The one you see most is LASD (N958LA), 3 recorded passes. Sheriff's aircraft fly patrol, search and rescue across the county, and orbit a scene the same way police aircraft do.

How high do helicopters fly over Pico-Union?

From the passes recorded here: police helicopters at 650–900 ft; private and charter helicopters at 1,100–1,600 ft; news helicopters at 1,050–1,400 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 Pico-Union?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are police helicopters: 56.9 hours overhead across 1,366 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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