The Police Helicopter is a recent addition in Emergency Hamburg, that assists police officers by locating, and tracking highly wanted criminals.
It was originally introduced in the Version 3.14.0 Update, in March 2026.
¶ Mechanics
The Police Helicopter operates automatically, and deploys from the helipad at the police station whenever a player reaches 4 or more wanted stars.
Once deployed, the helicopter will:
- Search for the closest player with 4 or more wanted stars
- Lock onto the target once located
- Follow the player continously until they successfully escape it
If the current target escapes, the helicopter will circle the area briefly before targeting the next closest player with 4 or more wanted stars.
This process is repeated until the helicopter reaches its maximum airtime, where it will be forced to return to the helipad.
If there are no wanted players, the helicopter will not deploy.
¶ Airtime & Cooldown
The helicopter does not remain active in the air all the time.
It has a maximum airtime of 15 - 20 minutes, during which it will search for players with 4 or more wanted stars.
Once this period expires, the helicopter will return to the helipad, even if it is actively tracking a suspect. It will remain on the helipad for 5 minutes before returning to the air.
It is important to note that the helicopter begins on a 5 minute cooldown in new servers.
¶ Escaping
Criminals who are being tracked by the automated helicopter can evade by entering areas where its line of sight is obstructed, such as:
- Tunnels
- Underground parking garage
- Building interiors
Once a player is no longer visible, the helicopter will continue tracking their last known position for 15 seconds before disengaging.
While being tracked by the helicopter, criminals are unable to lose their wanted levels.
¶ Tracking
Police officers receive a notification each time the helicopter locks onto a new target.
The helicopter's position is visible on the mini-map, allowing officers to locate the suspect.
The helicopter will not target players who are currently handcuffed.