Helicopters over Playa Vista
Live helicopter tracking for Playa Vista, Los Angeles — updated every few seconds.
Checking the sky over Playa Vista…
The sky over Playa Vista
By hour of day
Who flies over Playa Vista
- Private66%
- Police29%
- Sheriff2%
- Military2%
What it usually means
Private / civil: Private and civil helicopters are usually in transit, on a charter, or on a survey flight.
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.
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.
Recent helicopter activity
- Jul 25, 11:12 AMLAPDN224LA · AS50425–500 ft4 minSW
- Jul 24, 9:31 AMPrivateN821JP3,375–3,550 ft1 minSE
- Jul 23, 6:59 PMPoliceN226LA650–700 ft1 minW
- Jul 23, 4:34 PMPrivateN544FA3,450–3,525 ft1 minSE
- Jul 23, 10:46 AMUS ARMY17-209263,525 ft1 minSE
- Jul 23, 1:03 AMPoliceN230LA575–650 ft3 minNE
- Jul 21, 11:21 AMPoliceN226LA450–700 ft1 minW
- Jul 21, 10:35 AMPoliceN232LA475–500 ft1 minNE
- Jul 19, 3:51 PMPrivateN744HS3,500 ft1 minSE
- Jul 18, 2:13 PMPrivateN8900X4,375–4,600 ft1 minNW
- Jul 17, 7:20 PMPoliceN230LA400–525 ft3 minNW
- Jul 17, 6:02 PMPrivateN8900X3,325–3,450 ft1 minSE
- Jul 17, 10:57 AMPrivateN8900X4,475–4,525 ft1 minNW
- Jul 16, 11:25 PMPoliceN226LA575–650 ft1 minSW
- Jul 16, 5:54 PMPoliceN232LA625–925 ft1 minSE
- Jul 15, 4:15 PMPrivateN744263,700 ft1 minSE
- Jul 15, 1:37 PMPrivateN8900X3,575–3,600 ft1 minSE
- Jul 14, 10:28 AMSheriffN950LA450–625 ft1 minW
- Jul 11, 1:30 PMPrivateN744HS3,400–3,500 ft1 minSE
- Jul 10, 3:50 PMPrivateN821JP3,650–3,700 ft1 minSE
- Jul 8, 9:12 AMPrivateN295SJ550–600 ft1 minN
- Jul 7, 2:15 PMPrivateN821JP2,850–3,825 ft1 minW
- Jul 6, 6:51 PMPoliceN221LA375–600 ft1 minSW
- Jul 6, 11:52 AMPoliceN233LA600 ft1 minNE
- Jul 5, 4:15 PMPrivateN821JP2,725–3,500 ft9 minSE
- Jul 5, 4:05 PMPrivateN821JP2,950–3,175 ft1 minE
- Jul 5, 3:55 PMPrivateN821JP2,925–3,225 ft5 minE
- Jul 5, 3:49 PMPrivateN821JP2,925–3,150 ft2 minE
- Jul 5, 3:40 PMPrivateN821JP2,850–4,425 ft6 minW
- Jul 5, 11:08 AMPrivateN995NR3,300–3,400 ft1 minSE
- Jul 5, 10:35 AMPrivateN995NR4,300–4,400 ft1 minNW
- Jul 4, 2:18 PMPoliceN232LA475–500 ft1 minNE
- Jul 4, 10:56 AMPoliceN224LA325–475 ft2 minNW
- Jul 4, 9:33 AMPrivateN821JP3,300–3,400 ft1 minSE
- Jul 3, 7:35 PMPrivateN744HS3,400 ft1 minSE
- Jul 2, 2:08 PMPrivateN821JP3,450–3,575 ft1 minSE
- Jul 2, 11:52 AMPrivateN383SH1,650–1,925 ft2 minNE
- Jul 2, 11:46 AMPrivateN383SH1,750–2,150 ft3 minNE
- Jul 2, 11:37 AMPrivateN383SH1,600–1,800 ft3 minNE
- Jul 2, 11:31 AMPrivateN383SH1,450–1,700 ft2 minNE
Nearby coverage
Helicopters over Playa Vista: common questions
Why is there a helicopter over Playa Vista?
Most helicopter activity over Playa Vista 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 Playa Vista?
Based on 41 tracked passes over Playa Vista, 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.