If you were wondering about the news helicopters hovering last night over 16th Street in downtown Silver Spring, local breaking news reporter Alan Henney has explained it on Twitter:
The reason the TV news helicopters have been hovering over the north edge of D.C. along Silver Spring is because that is as far as they are allowed to downtown. TV "Chopper-1" is currently over 16th St and Juniper St NW. @SourcetheSpring @HelicoptersofDC pic.twitter.com/DOcwjnivm7
— Alan Henney (@alanhenney) November 8, 2020
If the news helicopters hover over 16th Street, their cameras can see all the way down to the White House:
https://t.co/VYTpRe6Ppx pic.twitter.com/TaeFoLkwSN
— ʙʀᴀᴅ ꜰʀᴇɪᴛᴀꜱ (@Chopper4Brad) November 7, 2020
News helicopter traffic is subject to the flight rules set forth by the Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA/FRZ) that restricts most air traffic in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. The choppers cannot travel south of the curved blue line shown in the graphic below without special approval, which explains why many hover over downtown Silver Spring & Takoma Park.
Graphics courtesy Alan Henney & FlightAware