Project Zomboid helicopter event: How to survive the helicopter

The Project Zomboid helicopter event is can outright ruin your game only a few days in if you don't know what it is, and how to survive it.

Project Zomboid has a feature called the 'metagame,' which consists of off-screen simulations of events that can affect how the zombies act in their environment. The helicopter event is one of these which causes a helicopter to begin flying around, hovering over you if they see you, which can attract the zombies to the noise.

If you need a full explanation of the Project Zomboid helicopter event to help you survive it, we've got you covered.

• Don't forget to look at our guide for Project Zomboid foraging.

Project Zomboid helicopter event: How it works

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After several in-game days, the helicopter event can begin. It's unable to be seen by the player, but you can hear it quite distinctly. The zombies will also take notice, and cause a horde to migrate across the map, constantly following the sound of the helicopter.

This can be ruinous for the player if they run into the horde, or if the horde comes across the home base and needs to get through it.

When the helicopter arrives, if the player is outside, it will follow the player around constantly until it disappears. This will also cause the horde to follow, meaning they can run right into the player, and due to the helicopter, the usual tricks to get rid of a horde won't work.

If the player is inside a house, or in the forest when the helicopter arrives, it won't be able to find them and will disperse after roughly an hour. On the other side though, running into a house or forest if it follows you will not work, and it will still hang overhead attracting zombies. 

• We also have a rundown of Project Zomboid farming to help you survive long-term

It's best for newer players to stay inside during the day the helicopter arrives, because the horde of zombies can lead to the destruction of their base and the end of the game if they are caught at the wrong time.

You can find out when the helicopter will arrive, by listening to the Automated Emergency Broadcast System on the radio. You will hear the phrase "air activity detected," which means the helicopter will arrive the next day. 

The Project Zomboid helicopter will typically arrive during Day 6-9, between the hours of 9 AM and 7 PM. It will try to find the player for roughly four hours before giving up, and stay for the full time if it spots the player. 

That's the full breakdown of the Project Zomboid helicopter event, and now you should be able to successfully avoid death when it explores the map.

Here's our primer on the best Project Zomboid traits.