Can Speed Limits Be Enforced by Aircraft? The Truth Behind the Signs

If you see “Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft” signs on the road, it might be a little confusing to understand. Don’t worry—a helicopter won’t land and pull you over, but there is a chance you could still get a ticket if you’re caught speeding by police overhead. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through what the sign means and how aircraft monitor your speed. Read on to learn more!

“Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft” Overview

“Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft” means a plane or helicopter may be flying overhead and monitoring vehicle speed on the road, though it’s done very often anymore. The aircraft uses markings on the ground to track speed and radio to an officer on the ground to give out a ticket.

Section 1 of 8:

What does “Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft” mean?

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When you see a “Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft” sign, there’s a chance that a small plane or helicopter is overhead and measuring your speed. If they determine that a vehicle is going too fast, then they can have another officer in a patrol car pull you over and give you a ticket.^{[1]
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Section 2 of 8:

How are speed limits enforced by aircraft?

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Planes or helicopters measure vehicle speed using road markings. Areas monitored by aircraft have markings on the side of the road that are a set distance apart. When a vehicle passes one of the markings, an officer in the aircraft times how long the vehicle takes to reach the other mark. The officer then calculates how fast the vehicle is going.^{[2]
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- Aircraft usually have special laser cameras that can help track speed, or they have a spotter with a stopwatch keeping an eye on the vehicle.
- In some areas, aircraft may fly above a vehicle to keep pace with it. If the aircraft is going faster than the posted speed limit, they know the vehicle below them is speeding too.
The officers in the aircraft will radio another officer on the ground about the type of car and where it’s located. When the officer finds the vehicle, they will pull the person over and issue them a speeding ticket.
Some aircraft are equipped with high-definition cameras that can zoom in on a passing license plate. If there’s not an officer on the ground, a ticket gets mailed to whoever owns the vehicle saying that the speed was captured by aircraft.

Section 3 of 8:

Are speed limits actually enforced by aircraft?

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Speed limits are enforced by aircraft, but not as frequently as before. Police departments still fly aircraft and check speed limits from time to time, but it’s too expensive for them to constantly do it. Plus, many other ways to monitor speed limits are cheaper and easier for police.
- Check our breakdown on other ways speed limits are enforced.

Section 4 of 8:

Where are speed limits enforced by aircraft?

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Many states still use aircraft to monitor speed. If you see a “Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft” sign, then there’s always a (somewhat small) chance that your speed is being monitored from above. Some Reddit users have mentioned getting tickets in California, Florida, Colorado, and Wisconsin, but other states that use aircraft include:^{[3]
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- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
- Washington
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Some areas have stopped using aircraft to enforce speed limits completely. Because it’s more expensive to fly aircraft, many state police have cut back on using them. Some reports say that even though there are signs in places like Virginia and Maryland, they have not used aircraft since around 2012.^{[4]
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- New York State Police have also mentioned that they still have aircraft but haven’t used them to monitor speed limits since 2004.^{[5]
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Section 5 of 8:

What to Do if You See “Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft” Signs

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Follow the posted speed limit to be safe. Even though enforcing speed limits with aircraft isn’t as common anymore, there’s still a chance that your speed is being monitored. Check the speed limit signs and keep an eye on your speedometer while you’re driving so you don’t end up with a ticket.^{[6]
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- Aircraft usually stay around an altitude 12,000–15,000 feet (3,700–4,600 m) so you’re not able to see them from the ground easily.^{[7]
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- Even if an aircraft isn’t monitoring your speed, driving the speed limit ensures that you stay safe and in control of your vehicle.

Section 6 of 8:

How else are speed limits enforced?

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LIDAR or radar sensors LIDAR lasers and radar guns are held by officers or placed on the side of the road. When the laser or radar is pointed at a vehicle, it measures how far the vehicle travels within a few seconds to calculate its speed.^{[8]
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- LIDAR and radar sensors are usually not marked, but there are sometimes signs that say “Speed Limit Enforced by Radar.” They’re the most common on long, open roads where they get more accurate readings.
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Speed cameras Speed cameras are placed along the side of the road and use radar or lasers to monitor speed. If they measure a vehicle moving 10 mph (16 km/h) over the speed limit, the camera takes a picture of the license plate and mails a ticket to the driver.^{[9]
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State of New York
Official website for the State of New York

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- Some areas have signs saying “Photo enforced ahead” to warn drivers about speed cameras, but other areas may not post any warnings.
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Following a speeding driver An officer drives behind another vehicle and matches their speed. The officer’s speedometer is properly calibrated so they can judge how fast the vehicle in front of them is going. If they’re speeding, then the officer will issue a ticket.^{[10]
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- Law enforcement may pace your vehicle without any posted warnings.

Section 7 of 8:

What to Do if You Get a Speeding Ticket

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Pay the ticket fine by the printed deadline. The way to pay for a ticket varies depending on your location, but usually, you’ll have the option to pay online, by mail, or in person. Check the amount you owe on the ticket and make sure you pay before the deadline.^{[11]
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- Contact the court if you can’t afford a fine to ask if they’re able to lower the amount or extend the due date.
- If you ignore the ticket and don’t pay the fine, you may have to pay additional fees and the ticket could go on your record.^{[12]
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Contest the ticket if you think you were driving safely. If you think you were wrongly given a speeding violation, you can contest the ticket in court. The exact process for contesting a speeding ticket varies by state and municipality, but follow the instructions listed on the ticket you were given. Typically, you can either contest the ticket through a written statement or by attending a court trial.^{[13]
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- The law enforcement officers from the aircraft and the ground unit will give their statements to a judge to determine if they’ll reduce the charge or drop the ticket.
- Some points that can help you contest your ticket include:
  - Does the aircraft have evidence that you were the vehicle being observed, like pictures or video?
  - Did the aircraft have properly calibrated equipment that accurately measured your speed?
  - Were there any clouds or poor weather when you were ticketed that could have obscured the aircraft’s view?
- Do your research and look up the specific violation written on your ticket so you know exactly what you’re charged for.

Section 8 of 8:

Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft Memes

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Many memes have been made from these signs because it’s funny to think of planes or helicopters pulling over a driver. Many of the memes show a picture of the “Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft” sign followed by a picture of a military plane or helicopter chasing them with funny captions like:
- “If that SUV goes 10 over the limit, we take him out.”
- “70 in a 55 zone? They’re toast!”
- “Tower, we have a northbound car going 15 over. Permission to strike?”

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Police aircraft can still issue a ticket if they catch you speeding outside of a marked area. Even if the aircraft is just passing overhead, they may call another officer if they see a speeding vehicle.

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Warnings

Driving over the speed limit increases your risk of getting into an accident or injuring someone else. Always follow the speed limits posted in your area.^{[14]
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Remember that speed limits are how fast you should go when there are perfect conditions. If there’s severe weather or you have limited visibility, drive slower than the limit.

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