See choppers flying low in DC? Don’t panic. They’re just prepping for inauguration

The National Nuclear Security Administration's Aerial Measuring System (AMS) provides specialized airborne radiation detection systems for measuring contamination.(Courtesy National Nuclear Security Administration)

If you notice some helicopters in D.C. flying lower than usual, there’s no reason to be worried — the U.S. Department of Energy is running some tests tied to the upcoming inauguration.

The agency’s National Nuclear Security Administration will be conducting some low-altitude chopper flights over downtown until Dec. 13.

At the core, is the Nuclear Emergency Support Team. It wants to “measure expected background radiation as part of standard preparations to protect public health and safety during the event.”

What you’re likely to see, according to the agency, is a Leonardo AW-139 helicopter.

Precisely how low the aircraft will fly was not specified.

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Will Vitka

William Vitka is a Digital Writer/Editor for WTOP.com. He's been in the news industry for over a decade. Before joining WTOP, he worked for CBS News, Stuff Magazine, The New York Post and wrote a variety of books—about a dozen of them, with more to come.

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