Why You’ll Soon See Lots Of Strange Helicopters Around Grand Rapids, SW Michigan

If you've ever been on the r/GrandRapids subreddit or are in any of the many Michigan-informed Facebook groups, you'll know that people can't help but post anytime a helicopter flies overhead. It's funny at first, but it gets old pretty quickly when the answer is always either patient transport or military training.

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But for once, there will be helicopters flying around that are worth asking about. because they'll be lugging around a very strange piece of tech. There's no need to panic - it's just the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

EGLE & USGS Electromagnetic Survey Across Michigan

Starting the second week of April, the EGLE and USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center are teaming up to conduct airborne electromagnet (AEM) surveys of the land "to study groundwater resources", according to Van Buren County. It's expected that these flights could continue for three to four months.

These helicopters will carry a massive "sensor hoop" (seen above) that measures how well the ground conducts electricity, allowing it to map the underground geology and help the EGLE and USGS learn where water is stored. Knowing where water is stored underground is important for people who get their drinking water from underground sources.

READ MORE: MDOT Studies Coast to Coast Passenger Rail Across Michigan

Currently, the Hydologic Enhancement for Michigan (HEMI) project is set to have flights in the following counties: Ottawa, Kent, Ionia, Allegan, Barry, Eaton, Ingham, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Jackson, Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, Branch, and Hillsdale.

The flights will reportedly follow set routes, meaning they will fly over the same area multiple times, with the helicopters said to fly relatively low. If you're curious to see where these helicopters will fly, the USGS has created a map you can use to track their flights.

These helicopters have a lot of ground to cover, hence the multi-month Hydologic Enhancement for Michigan (HEMI) project.

You can learn about the HEMI project and get updates on flights here.