Who flies
Who flies helicopters in London
Ten kinds of operator share London's sky. Each page says what they do, which aircraft they use, where they fly from, and how to recognise them.
Hero image: Photo: Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The CAA's London data separates only Police, air ambulance (HEMS) and Battersea flights. Everything else is a mixed picture, which is why this guide covers each group.
Police helicopters
NPAS provides air support to police forces in England and Wales, including the Metropolitan Police; requests go through a national operations centre a…
London's Air Ambulance
A doctor-paramedic helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) for London; helicopter by day, rapid response cars at night or in poor weather.…
Air ambulances around London
Charity-funded critical-care helicopter services around the capital, tasked via NHS ambulance control.…
HM Coastguard helicopters
Maritime and Coastguard Agency search and rescue helicopters under the UK SAR contract, operated by Bristow; relevant to the Thames Estuary and south-…
Power-line and utility helicopters
Helicopters carry pilots and specialist observers who film pylons and lines with HD and thermal cameras, finding damage, corrosion and vegetation encr…
Network Rail helicopters
Network Rail uses helicopters for aerial survey and inspection images supporting overhead line equipment, vegetation management and earthworks. Helico…
News, film and construction helicopters
Helicopters lift rooftop plant onto London buildings, film aerial sequences, gather news pictures and carry survey cameras.…
Tour and charter helicopters
Sightseeing flights follow the Thames from the Battersea heliport; charter covers business travel, airport transfers and events (Royal Ascot, Goodwood…
Private owners and flying schools
Owner-flyers and students at aerodromes around London.…
Military and VIP helicopters
RAF Chinook and Puma helicopters fly over London for ceremonial events; RAF Northolt handles VIP and civil flights.…
Sources and checks
Facts on this page come from these sources, last checked 2026-11-03. Where a source could not be reached or did not say, we left the fact out.
- npas.police.uk npas.police.uk
- npas.police.uk npas.police.uk
- npas.police.uk npas.police.uk
- londonsairambulance.org.uk londonsairambulance.org.uk
- caa.co.uk caa.co.uk
- caa.co.uk caa.co.uk
- caa.co.uk caa.co.uk