Dona Marta Heliport

The heliport's use shifted from a location for tourism and VIP transport to an exclusively private facility for government and police operations. This was not due to a single event like an accident or economic failure, but rather a change in operational control and designation. It is now officially operated by the Rio de Janeiro State Secretariat of Public Security, making it unavailable for public or commercial use.

The site is an active and operational private helipad, officially designated as SJKA SANTA MARTA. It is used by the security forces of the State of Rio de Janeiro, including the Military Police, for tactical deployment, surveillance, and transport. The helipad itself is located within the 'Mirante Dona Marta' (Dona Marta Viewpoint), which is a highly popular public park and tourist destination accessible by road.

The heliport is world-famous as the primary filming location for Michael Jackson's 1996 music video for the song 'They Don't Care About Us' (the 'favela' version), directed by Spike Lee. The video prominently features Jackson dancing on the helipad with the group Olodum. This event cemented its place in pop culture history. During its period of mixed-use, it served as an exclusive landing spot for tourist helicopter tours and VIPs, offering unparalleled panoramic views of Rio de Janeiro, including Sugarloaf Mountain, the Christ the Redeemer statue, and Guanabara Bay.

There are currently no known official plans or active prospects for reopening the heliport to the public or for commercial tourist flights. While there were discussions and proposals around 2013 to revitalize the site for tourism, these plans did not come to fruition. Given its current strategic importance as a private operational base for state security forces, a return to commercial operations is considered highly unlikely in the foreseeable future.