HeliTracker in the press.
Coverage of the project and its founder, Mateo Lallemand. For interviews, comment, or photos, use the contact form at the bottom of this page.
The Wall Street Journal · Front page (A-Hed) · Online September 18, 2026 · Print September 19, 2026
The Class War Raging Over Low-Flying Helicopters Headed to the Hamptons
By David Uberti. A front-page feature on the fight over charter helicopters crossing Westchester's Sound Shore on the way to the Hamptons. The piece profiles Mateo and HeliTracker, describes how the device cross-references microphone detections against the FAA registry and FlightRadar24, and reports that the data showed many Hamptons-bound flights at around 1,000 feet. It includes a statement from Rep. George Latimer, whose office is now working with the FAA, and a response from Flexjet's helicopter division acknowledging the noise issue.
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The device, as it ran in the Journal. Photo: Mateo Lallemand. Free to use with credit; full resolution.
“The residents have a legitimate concern that cannot be ignored.”
Rep. George Latimer, in a statement to The Wall Street Journal, after reviewing HeliTracker's flight data.
Quick facts for reporters
- What it is
- A small acoustic sensor (Raspberry Pi plus microphone) that detects a helicopter overhead, matches it to live flight-tracking data, and logs the aircraft, operator, altitude, and heading. No audio is recorded.
- Who built it
- Mateo Lallemand, a 16-year-old sophomore at Rye Country Day School in Rye, N.Y., and founder of MNR Developers.
- Inspiration
- Ukraine's acoustic sensor networks for detecting incoming drones and missiles.
- Running since
- Spring 2026, from a home in Westchester County under the Manhattan–Hamptons charter corridor.
- What it found
- Many Hamptons-bound charter flights crossing residential areas at roughly 1,000 feet.
- Policy impact
- Data shared with Rep. George Latimer (NY-16), whose office has engaged FAA staff on the issue.
- What's next
- A network of devices across the Sound Shore to map the full corridor.
- Site
- helitracker.org
Press inquiries
Mateo is available for interviews by email and can provide a sample data export, screenshots of the app, additional photos, and the HeliTracker logo. Requests get a reply the same day where possible.
Media assets: device photo, full resolution (JPEG, 6024×4024, 5.5 MB) · logo (PNG, 512×512). Credit photos to Mateo Lallemand.
Contact for press
Naming and style
The product is HeliTracker, one word, capital H and T. The founder is Mateo Lallemand (mah-TAY-oh LAL-eh-mand). HeliTracker is a product of MNR Developers, Rye, N.Y.
HeliTracker™ is a trademark; registration pending.