Helicopters over Riverside
Live helicopter tracking for Riverside, Los Angeles — updated every few seconds.
Checking the sky over Riverside…
The sky over Riverside
By hour of day
Who flies over Riverside
- Police54%
- Private34%
- Sheriff10%
- Military1%
- Fire / medical1%
- Other0%
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.
Military: Military aircraft are usually transiting between bases or on a training route rather than responding to anything local.
Recent helicopter activity
- Jul 25, 8:17 AMSheriffN993SD1,400–1,475 ft2 minNW
- Jul 25, 8:08 AMPrivateN8525Y1,150–1,475 ft1 minW
- Jul 25, 1:00 AMRiverside PDN951RP1,825–2,125 ft2 minNW
- Jul 25, 12:05 AMRiverside PDN951RP1,700–1,775 ft1 minW
- Jul 25, 12:00 AMRiverside PDN951RP1,825–1,875 ft1 minE
- Jul 24, 7:56 PMRiverside PDN951RP1,500–1,675 ft4 minS
- Jul 24, 7:43 PMRiverside PDN951RP1,625–1,675 ft1 minS
- Jul 24, 7:34 PMRiverside PDN951RP1,425–1,650 ft3 minE
- Jul 24, 6:26 PMPrivateN694AM1,100–1,400 ft1 minNE
- Jul 24, 5:50 PMPrivateN694AM1,300 ft4 minN
- Jul 24, 12:12 PMPrivateN434AM1,000–1,750 ft1 minNE
- Jul 24, 11:28 AMPrivateN434AM800–1,300 ft3 minNW
- Jul 24, 10:42 AMRiverside PDN951RP1,350–1,550 ft7 minS
- Jul 24, 10:24 AMPrivate2,200–2,350 ft1 minNE
- Jul 24, 10:17 AMRiverside PDN951RP1,425–1,475 ft1 minNW
- Jul 24, 9:47 AMRiverside PDN951RP1,275–1,425 ft1 minNW
- Jul 24, 9:27 AMPrivateN108EH2,100 ft1 minNE
- Jul 24, 9:07 AMSheriffN998SD1,200–1,475 ft2 minE
- Jul 24, 2:49 AMPrivateN434AM1,100–1,675 ft1 minNE
- Jul 24, 2:10 AMPrivateN434AM900–1,525 ft3 minW
- Jul 24, 12:50 AMRiverside PDN951RP1,975–2,100 ft3 minSW
- Jul 24, 12:39 AMRiverside PDN951RP1,950–2,275 ft4 minS
- Jul 24, 12:17 AMRiverside PDN951RP2,125–2,175 ft1 minNE
- Jul 23, 11:58 PMRiverside PDN951RP2,125–2,225 ft1 minSW
- Jul 23, 11:38 PMRiverside PDN951RP1,750–2,050 ft5 minE
- Jul 23, 9:46 PMRiverside PDN951RP1,750–1,950 ft1 minW
- Jul 23, 9:24 PMRiverside PDN951RP1,825–1,875 ft2 minS
- Jul 23, 9:20 PMPrivateN108EH1,900–2,100 ft1 minS
- Jul 23, 9:08 PMRiverside SheriffN994SD1,550–1,625 ft1 minE
- Jul 23, 8:58 PMPrivateN108EH2,000–2,100 ft1 minNE
- Jul 23, 8:56 PMRiverside PDN951RP2,125–2,175 ft1 minNE
- Jul 23, 8:28 PMRiverside PDN951RP1,575–1,750 ft1 minS
- Jul 23, 8:21 PMRiverside PDN951RP1,650–1,725 ft1 minNE
- Jul 23, 5:37 PMPrivateN108EH2,100–2,200 ft1 minNE
- Jul 23, 11:34 AMPoliceN665PD1,925–2,350 ft1 minW
- Jul 23, 9:45 AMSheriffN993SD1,525–1,700 ft3 minW
- Jul 23, 5:33 AMUS ARMY13-20604900–1,400 ft1 minNE
- Jul 23, 5:04 AMUS ARMY13-20604825–1,250 ft3 minN
- Jul 23, 4:31 AMPrivateN434AM1,000–1,475 ft1 minNE
- Jul 23, 4:04 AMPrivateN434AM900–1,350 ft2 minW
Nearby coverage
Helicopters over Riverside: common questions
Why is there a helicopter over Riverside?
Most helicopter activity over Riverside 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 Riverside?
Based on 287 tracked passes over Riverside, the most common hour for helicopter activity is around 12am 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.