Helicopters over San Bernardino

Live helicopter tracking for San Bernardino, San Bernardino County — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

San Bernardino, San Bernardino County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Today over San Bernardino

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 22 minutes ago, heading northwest.

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 San Bernardino

1,182helicopter passes tracked over 66 days
125.4
passes per week
6.0
hours overhead per week
9 PM
busiest hour
Sheriff
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 9p · this hour (4p) has averaged 53 passes historically

Who flies over San Bernardino

  • Sheriff50%
  • Private38%
  • Police7%
  • Military2%
  • Fire / medical1%
  • Other1%

The regulars over San Bernardino

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

Who flies over San Bernardino, by the numbers

Sheriff's helicopters over San Bernardino

594 of 1,182 recorded passes over San Bernardino were sheriff's helicopters — 50% of the traffic here, 39.7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: San Bernardino County Sheriffs Dept (N835SB), 60 recorded passestypically 1,500–1,650 ft

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

Private and charter helicopters over San Bernardino

454 of 1,182 recorded passes over San Bernardino were private and charter helicopters — 38% of the traffic here, 12.3 hours overhead in total.

Most often: REACH (N39RX), 15 recorded passestypically 1,600–2,200 ft

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

Police helicopters over San Bernardino

86 of 1,182 recorded passes over San Bernardino were police helicopters — 7% of the traffic here, 3.6 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Fontana PD (N641EG), 15 recorded passesusually 6pm–9pmtypically 1,400–1,550 ft

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

Military helicopters over San Bernardino

24 of 1,182 recorded passes over San Bernardino were military helicopters — 2% of the traffic here, 0.5 hours overhead in total.

Military aircraft are almost always transiting between bases or on training flights; they rarely orbit a neighborhood.

What it usually means

Sheriff (LASD): Sheriff's helicopters typically orbit for a search, a pursuit, or to support deputies on the ground.

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.

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

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Helicopters over San Bernardino common questions

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over San Bernardino?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 50% of the 1,182 helicopter passes recorded over San Bernardino. The one you see most is San Bernardino County Sheriffs Dept (N835SB), 60 recorded passes. They typically fly at 1,500–1,650 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.

Why is a police helicopter circling over San Bernardino?

Police helicopters account for 7% of the 1,182 helicopter passes recorded over San Bernardino. The one you see most is Fontana PD (N641EG), 15 recorded passes. They are usually 6pm–9pm here. They typically fly at 1,400–1,550 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.

How high do helicopters fly over San Bernardino?

From the passes recorded here: sheriff's helicopters at 1,500–1,650 ft; private and charter helicopters at 1,600–2,200 ft; police helicopters at 1,400–1,550 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 San Bernardino?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are sheriff's helicopters: 39.7 hours overhead across 594 recorded passes. Sheriff's aircraft fly patrol, search and rescue across the county, and orbit a scene the same way police aircraft do.

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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