Helipad symbol

A capital H inside a circle, marking a helicopter landing area.

Also known as: Helipad, H in a circle

Maps & navigationRoad & transportStandard profile

Meanings

An H in a circle marks a helicopter landing area. On a hospital pad the H sits inside a red cross instead, which distinguishes a medical facility from an ordinary landing site at a glance from the air.

Common modern usageVerified fact
Marks an area designated for helicopter landing and take-off, painted on the surface for identification from the air.
Contexts: Public information, Navigation
Common modern usageVerified fact
Is drawn with the H inside a red cross at hospital sites, so a medical landing area is distinguishable from any other from above.
Contexts: Medicine, Navigation

Visual description

A large capital letter H centred inside a circle, painted in white on a dark surface or in red where it marks a hospital pad.

Symmetry: radial
Orientation: upright
Colours: white, red

Confidence

IdentityModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the identity is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the current use is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.

Sources

Helipad
Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-08-01
Tertiary reference. Used for what a symbol depicts and which authority publishes it, not for the legend of any particular chart series or the text of any standard.

Last reviewed 2026-08-01

Part of

Map, chart and weather symbols

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Meanings

Common modern usageVerified fact

Marks an area designated for helicopter landing and take-off, painted on the surface for identification from the air.

Contexts: Public information, Navigation

Common modern usageVerified fact

Is drawn with the H inside a red cross at hospital sites, so a medical landing area is distinguishable from any other from above.

Contexts: Medicine, Navigation

Confidence

IdentityModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the identity is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the current use is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.