What Was That Helicopter Over Palm Springs?
That helicopter flying low and in straight lines over Palm Springs last Saturday? It wasn’t spying, spraying, or part of a secret mission. It was N121LP, a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger equipped with a stabilized aerial survey system—likely LiDAR or high-resolution photogrammetry. These kinds of flights are routine for mapping terrain, inspecting infrastructure, or documenting utility corridors.
Plenty of curiosity (and a few conspiracy theories) circulated, but it’s just data collection from above. I photographed it while it worked its grid over the city. But where are those Chemtrails!
Aerial Survey Over Palm Springs: Bell 206-L4 with Sharper Shape Imaging System
On Saturday, many people in Palm Springs noticed a Bell 206-L4 helicopter circling the area. I took the opportunity to photograph the aircraft mid-flight and identified it as N295SJ, a privately owned helicopter equipped with a Sharper Shape Heliscope 2.0—a specialized aerial imaging system used for infrastructure inspections, power line surveys, and vegetation management.
This particular helicopter is owned by Premier Rotors LLC, a company known for providing aerial services for utility companies, infrastructure monitoring, and environmental assessments. The presence of the Heliscope 2.0 system suggests that the flight was part of a detailed survey, likely scanning power lines, roads, or other infrastructure components that require regular maintenance checks from above.
Aerial surveys like these play an essential role in detecting potential hazards, identifying vegetation encroachment, and ensuring infrastructure integrity, helping companies and local governments maintain large-scale networks efficiently. These flights are common across urban and rural landscapes, providing critical data that would be difficult to gather from the ground.
If you spotted this helicopter in the skies over Palm Springs, now you know what was happening.
USMC Viper Helicopter
Landing
One of the many times I was there on the ramp at an airshow, having just flown in. And I just happened to be there. Sound on.
Power Wash Your Super Stallion
UCLA Medical Center
LAPD Air Support
Sea King And The USS Stennis
A Navy Sea King helicopter flying past the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier. The Stennis is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier.
I photographed this on January 10, 2004 from the deck of the USS Midway as it was being towed to it’s current mooring in San Diego to open as a museum on June 7, 2004.
My Ride Is Here
My ride is here. This is a much better way to travel. Redlands Municipal Airport California.
Navy Sea Hawk
Another look at that Navy MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter departing Palm Springs this past Friday.
CHP Helicopter
A California Highway Patrol helicopter departing the airport in Palm Springs last Thursday.
Helicopter Flying Patterns
A helicopter flying consistent North South patterns West of the Palm Springs Airport. A Bell 206L-3 owned by Premier Rotors LLC. Perhaps inspecting power lines or a survey.
Huey Gunship and Loach
Vietnam War era helicopters over the skies at the Palm Springs Air Museum yesterday. A Huey Gunship and a Loach. Good thing I brought a camera!
The Loach was officially named the Cayuse, it was a light observation helicopter that was sometimes equipped for combat. In the movie “Blackhawk Down” you hear them referenced as “Little Birds” operated by U.S. Army’s Special Operations Forces.
The Huey Gunship, actually the Bell UH-1 Iroquois, where 7,000 of them saw extensive service in the Vietnam War. Used for everything from troop transport and medical evacuation, it became most known for it’s combat role as “Air Calvary”. The Huey reached Hollywood epic star stars in the Vietnam War movie “Apocalypse Now”.
Ride-Em Copter
She said if I wanted the upper seat it was going to be a bumpy ride. Sounds good to me! She is “Shivers” described as “the well-endowed, lady mannequin pilot” “ravishing and sexy” also a part of the art installation.
“Ride-Em-Copter” by Steve Maloney. A Bell Jet OH-58 Helicopter at the Palm Springs Fine Arts Fair 2014.
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