A helicopter landing pad ( helipad ) is a landing area or platform for helicopters. While helicopters are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fabricated helipad provides a clearly marked hard surface away from obstacles where a helicopter can land safely.
Helipads are usually constructed out of concrete and are marked with a circle and/or a letter “H”, so as to be visible from the air. However, they are not always constructed out of concrete; sometimes forest fire fighters will construct a temporary timber-strictured helipad to receive supplies in remote areas. Rig mats may be used to build helipads. Landing pads may also be constructed in extreme conditions such as on ice.
The world’s highest helipad, built by India, is located on the Siachen Glacier at a height of 21,000 feet (6400 m) above sea level.
