Live helicopter tracking for Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County — updated every few seconds.
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Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County
Checking the sky overhead…
GTLA Live · Live area briefing · positions from ADS-B, rechecked every 20 seconds
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Nothing overhead now — quiet for the last 3 hours.
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.
The sky over Santa Clarita
By hour of day
Who flies over Santa Clarita
The aircraft recorded here most often — the ones you’ll see again.
LASDN960LA28 recorded visits· usually 8–11pm· last here Mon 10:26 PM
LASDN958LA23 recorded visits· usually 8–11pm· last here Tue 12:08 PMEvery aircraft our tracking has recorded here recently, most recent first. The named ones have a page of their own.
324 of 723 recorded passes over Santa Clarita were private and charter helicopters — 45% of the traffic here, 9.5 hours overhead in total.
Most often: City Of Los Angeles Dept Of Water & Power (N705WP), 16 recorded passesusually 8am–11amtypically 1,700–2,600 ft
Private and charter aircraft are usually in transit, on a tour or a survey flight, and pass through without stopping.
193 of 723 recorded passes over Santa Clarita were sheriff's helicopters — 27% of the traffic here, 8.6 hours overhead in total.
Most often: LASD (N955LA), 23 recorded passesusually 8pm–11pmtypically 1,800–2,150 ft
Sheriff's aircraft fly patrol, search and rescue across the county, and orbit a scene the same way police aircraft do.
131 of 723 recorded passes over Santa Clarita were fire helicopters — 18% of the traffic here, 8.9 hours overhead in total.
Most often: LA Co FD (Helitanker) (N43CU), 9 recorded passestypically 1,950–2,500 ft
Fire department aircraft respond to fires and rescues — often brief, often low, and often straight in and out.
56 of 723 recorded passes over Santa Clarita were news helicopters — 8% of the traffic here, 4.2 hours overhead in total.
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.
Fire / rescue: Fire helicopters mean a fire response or a rescue — often brief, and often at low altitude.
News helicopter: News helicopters usually mean live coverage of a developing story — a pursuit, a fire, or a scene the station is broadcasting.
Nearby coverage
Sheriff's helicopters account for 27% of the 723 helicopter passes recorded over Santa Clarita. The one you see most is LASD (N955LA), 23 recorded passes. They are usually 8pm–11pm here. They typically fly at 1,800–2,150 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.
Fire helicopters account for 18% of the 723 helicopter passes recorded over Santa Clarita. The one you see most is LA Co FD (Helitanker) (N43CU), 9 recorded passes. They typically fly at 1,950–2,500 ft above sea level. Fire department aircraft respond to fires and rescues — often brief, often low, and often straight in and out.
News helicopters account for 8% of the 723 helicopter passes recorded over Santa Clarita. 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.
From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 1,700–2,600 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 1,800–2,150 ft; fire helicopters at 1,950–2,500 ft. These are the middle half of measured altitudes above sea level for each group, not a floor or a ceiling.
Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 9.5 hours overhead across 324 recorded passes. Private and charter aircraft are usually in transit, on a tour or a survey flight, and pass through without stopping.
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.
GTLA Live 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.
More from GTLA
From the aircraft overhead to the story on your block.
Follow real aircraft in 3D or 2D. See their identities, distinctive fleet liveries, flight trails, and the airspace around them—including temporary flight restrictions.
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