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This is far from new. They use a group of Marine operated helicopters on a variety of Presidential trips when there is reason to prefer the helos to a motorcade. I saw a similar grouping fly President George W. Bush near the Rocky Mtns. in 2005. It was quite exciting to see them swoop over a mountain pass, and I was able to view them (from a distance) landing and later taking off at the destination. There were 5 on that trip, but according to Wiki the Marine helo unit for the POTUS and VP is quite a bit larger:

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[WIKIPEDIA]Marine One is sometimes the preferred alternative to motorcades, which can be expensive and logistically difficult. The controlled environment of a helicopter is also felt to add a safety factor. Marine One is also used to transport senior Cabinet staff and foreign dignitaries. HMX-1 operates a total of 35 helicopters of four different types as of 2009.[17]

More than 800 Marines supervise the operation of the Marine One fleet, which is based in MCAF Quantico, Virginia, with an additional operating location at Naval Support Facility Anacostia in the District of Columbia, but is more often seen in action on the South Lawn of the White House or at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility in Maryland. At Andrews, it is sometimes used to connect to Air Force One for longer journeys. Marine One is met on the ground by at least one Marine in full dress uniform (most often two, with one acting as an armed guard). According to a story told by Bruce Babbitt, President Clinton, in his final days of office, while flying over and landing in a remote area near the Grand Canyon, found a Marine waiting on the rock ready to salute him.[18] Marine aviators flying Marine One do not wear regular flight suits during flights, but rather the Marine Blue Dress Charlie/Delta uniform.

As a security measure, Marine One always flies in a group of as many as five identical helicopters. One helicopter carries the President, while the others serve as decoys. Upon take-off these helicopters shift in formation to obscure the location of the President. This has been referred to as a presidential shell game.[19] Marine One is also equipped with standard military anti-missile countermeasures such as flares to counter heat-seeking missiles and chaff to counter radar-guided missiles, as well as AN/ALQ-144A infrared countermeasures.[20][21][22] To add to the security of Marine One, every member of HMX-1 is required to pass a Yankee White background check before touching any of the helicopters used for presidential travel.[23]

Marine One is transported via C-17 Globemaster or C-5 Galaxy military transport planes (as is the president's limousine) wherever the President travels, within the US as well as overseas.[17] At a presidential inauguration, the Marines offer the outgoing President a final flight from the Capitol to Joint Base Andrews.