Helicopters over Watts

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

Area briefing

Watts, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Today over Watts

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 39 minutes ago, heading north.

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

Recent incidents over Watts

The sky over Watts

1,572helicopter passes tracked over 66 days
166.7
passes per week
10
hours overhead per week
7 PM
busiest hour
Private
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 7p · this hour (1p) has averaged 66 passes historically

Who flies over Watts

  • Private34%
  • Police25%
  • Sheriff24%
  • News15%
  • Fire / medical2%
  • Other1%

The regulars over Watts

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

Who flies over Watts, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over Watts

534 of 1,572 recorded passes over Watts were private and charter helicopters — 34% of the traffic here, 11.2 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Emerald City Aircraft (N7530M), 32 recorded passesusually 4pm–7pmtypically 600–1,000 ft

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

Police helicopters over Watts

389 of 1,572 recorded passes over Watts were police helicopters — 25% of the traffic here, 38 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LAPD (N213PF), 14 recorded passestypically 450–600 ft

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

Sheriff's helicopters over Watts

379 of 1,572 recorded passes over Watts were sheriff's helicopters — 24% of the traffic here, 31.2 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N959LA), 15 recorded passestypically 500–850 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 Watts

233 of 1,572 recorded passes over Watts were news helicopters — 15% of the traffic here, 15.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: AIR7 (N71HD), 12 recorded passestypically 800–1,150 ft

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.

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.

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

Recent helicopter activity

Nearby coverage

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Helicopters over Watts common questions

Why is a police helicopter circling over Watts?

Police helicopters account for 25% of the 1,572 helicopter passes recorded over Watts. The one you see most is LAPD (N213PF), 14 recorded passes. They typically fly at 450–600 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.

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Watts?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 24% of the 1,572 helicopter passes recorded over Watts. The one you see most is LASD (N959LA), 15 recorded passes. They typically fly at 500–850 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 Watts?

News helicopters account for 15% of the 1,572 helicopter passes recorded over Watts. The one you see most is AIR7 (N71HD), 12 recorded passes. They typically fly at 800–1,150 ft above sea level. 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 Watts?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 600–1,000 ft; police helicopters at 450–600 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 500–850 ft; news helicopters at 800–1,150 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 Watts?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are police helicopters: 38 hours overhead across 389 recorded passes. Police aircraft typically fly tight, repeated orbits over one spot to support officers on the ground, and can hold for a long time.

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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