A helicopter, or chopper, is a rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover and to fly forward, backward, and laterally.

These attributes allow helicopters to be used in congested or isolated areas where fixed-wing aircraft and many forms of  Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft cannot operate. The most common engine-type helicopters used today are: single engine turbine, double engine turbine and single engine piston.

Helicopters can a valuable tool in productions due to both the above attributes and the fact that attachments such as camera, lights etc. can be used affixed to the machine. Helicopters also have configurations that allow for the carrying of passengers/production crew. Helicopters are a versatile yet inherently unstable machine and as such come with various hazards.