Helicopters over Redondo Beach

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

Area briefing

Redondo Beach, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Today over Redondo Beach

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 37 minutes ago, heading south.

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

The sky over Redondo Beach

245helicopter passes tracked over 63 days
27.2
passes per week
0.9
hours overhead per week
2 PM
busiest hour
Private
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 2p · this hour (2p) has averaged 31 passes historically

Who flies over Redondo Beach

  • Private81%
  • Sheriff7%
  • News3%
  • Military3%
  • Police2%
  • Other3%

The regulars over Redondo Beach

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

Who flies over Redondo Beach, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over Redondo Beach

199 of 245 recorded passes over Redondo Beach were private and charter helicopters — 81% of the traffic here, 4.9 hours overhead in total.

usually 1pm–4pmtypically 450–1,150 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 Redondo Beach

18 of 245 recorded passes over Redondo Beach were sheriff's helicopters — 7% of the traffic here, 1.3 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N953LA), 5 recorded passestypically 250–600 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 Redondo Beach

8 of 245 recorded passes over Redondo Beach were news helicopters — 3% of the traffic here, 0.7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: AIR7 (N71HD), 3 recorded passes

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.

News helicopter: News helicopters usually mean live coverage of a developing story — a pursuit, a fire, or a scene the station is broadcasting.

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

Recent helicopter activity

Nearby coverage

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Helicopters over Redondo Beach common questions

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Redondo Beach?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 7% of the 245 helicopter passes recorded over Redondo Beach. The one you see most is LASD (N953LA), 5 recorded passes. They typically fly at 250–600 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 Redondo Beach?

News helicopters account for 3% of the 245 helicopter passes recorded over Redondo Beach. The one you see most is AIR7 (N71HD), 3 recorded passes. 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 Redondo Beach?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 450–1,150 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 250–600 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 Redondo Beach?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 4.9 hours overhead across 199 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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