VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – If you’ve ever been cruising down the interstate and seen a sign that says, “Roadway Patrolled by Aircraft,” you might’ve laughed and thought, “What is this, ‘Top Gun?’ Do they have Black Hawks flying around catching speeders?”
Well, not quite, but the truth is just as wild and uniquely Florida.
That sign isn’t a bluff. While many states have shelved their aircraft enforcement programs, Florida still actively uses fixed-wing aircraft to catch speeding drivers, and yes, it happens almost every single day.
On today’s ‘Trooper Steve on Patrol’ live stream, we’re diving into how this old-school but highly-effective system works and why Florida still swears by it.
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Here’s a sneak peek:
Across stretches of our interstates and the Florida Turnpike, you might notice evenly-spaced white lines painted right on the road. These aren’t for decoration — they’re strategically placed 1,320 feet apart (that’s exactly a quarter mile) and they’re key to the operation.
Here’s how it all goes down:
Each Florida Highway Patrol region — called a “troop” — has a dedicated pilot. On scheduled “aircraft speed days,” that pilot takes off in a fixed-wing plane, equipped with multiple stopwatches. While flying high above the roadway, the pilot clocks vehicles as they pass over those white lines. With built-in distance/time calculations, the plane determines how fast you’re actually going.
But don’t worry, the pilot isn’t the one pulling you over. That’s where the “stopping troopers” come in. Usually five to 10 ground units are assigned during these operations. Once a speeder is clocked, the pilot radios the exact vehicle to a trooper on the ground, who maintains visual confirmation and makes the traffic stop. Only once the pilot verifies, “Yep, that’s the one,” can the trooper issue a citation.
It’s a perfectly coordinated, top-to-bottom operation — literally.
So if you’re curious how a quarter-mile of white paint and a few stopwatches in the sky can keep our roads safer, tune into today’s live stream with Trooper Steve.
Speeding may feel like a solo act, but in Florida, there’s always someone watching… even from 2,000 feet above.