Can I Go Skydiving With a GoPro?

We’ve all heard the adage, “pics or it didn’t happen,” and in this day and age where visual content reigns supreme, it’s almost impossible to think about going skydiving without thoroughly documenting the adventure. Action cameras continue to get smaller and more powerful, which is awesome for skydiving. It’s as if someone specifically made the GoPro for skydiving! And if you have one, you might be thinking about bringing your GoPro for your first skydive. 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news … you cannot use your own GoPro for skydiving until you have 200 jumps (C License). As harmless as it seems, there are plenty of good reasons why. Continue reading for why first timers and new jumpers can’t bring a personal GoPro for skydiving, and what you can do to still capture every moment of your big leap –

It’s the Rule!

The United States Parachute Association (USPA) sets rules and regulations for the safe operation of all member dropzones. Oklahoma Skydiving is a USPA Member Dropzone, which means we comply with what the USPA has to say about bringing cameras on skydives:

• Prior to jumping with a camera, a skydiver should have enough general jump experience to be able to handle any skydiving emergency or minor problem easily and without stress.
• A camera flyer should possess freefall flying skills well above average and applicable to the planned jump.
• A USPA C License is recommended.
• The jumper should have made at least 50 recent jumps on the same parachute equipment to be used for camera flying

Since this will be your first skydive (or even if it’s your 10th!), you have a ways to go before you can expect to meet any of these requirements, let alone all of them! The USPA has been analyzing skydiving safety for decades, and the rules set forth are to keep every person exiting an airplane as safe as possible. 

Safety First

Even though a GoPro seems insignificant, a lot of potential danger is packed into that small package. 

One of the most common issues a skydiver can face when jumping with a camera is a line snag. GoPros stick out from the otherwise smooth surface of your gear, making the camera a perfect snag hazard for a parachute in mid-deployment. (No bueno.) With experience comes the ability to minimize snag opportunities or, at the very least, the knowledge of how to handle a snag situation if it were to happen.

Another reason beginners can’t use a GoPro for skydiving is sensory overload. Cameras are distracting. Your first skydive is going to be unlike anything your brain or body has ever experienced; you are likely to face some degree of overwhelm. Just focusing on maintaining the correct body position will be more than enough to keep track of. There’s a good chance you won’t notice what’s going on outside of your immediate circle, let alone be able to focus on managing a camera. 

Additionally, your tandem skydive is officially considered a student jump and is highly regulated. Though it may seem like being strapped to a professional skydiver makes it a carnival ride, it is actually much more than that. As you’ll learn during pre-jump training, tandem students are active participants in the skydive. The more engaged you are, the better it will go! 

When new to skydiving, less is always more – especially unnecessary distractions. Leave the advanced stuff to the pros! 

Alternatives

As you know from the many skydiving videos on the internet, we have a way to responsibly capture your tandem skydiving experience and play by the rules. When booking your skydive, you can add on the option to include a media package with your jump. You can get both still pictures and/or video, and there are two different angle options depending on what type of footage you want:

1. The first option is most like what you would see if you brought your own GoPro for skydiving. In this case, the GoPro is attached to your tandem instructor’s wrist and films you up close and personal. You’ll have first-hand video and/or stills as you get kitted up, board the plane, fly to altitude, freefall at 120 mph, float under the parachute, and land back on terra firma.
2. The second option is called outside video – meaning a third person would join you throughout your skydiving experience. You’d have an outside perspective from kit up to touch down, including your epic flight with your instructor. Your dedicated video flyer will capture your jump from every angle, which really showcases how all-encompassing and extreme skydiving is. At Oklahoma Skydiving, our outside package includes video and stills. 

Get The Video

Listen; this is not a shameless plug. Get the video. You only make your first skydive once. Watching yourself doing something extraordinary is incredibly empowering. When you see what you achieved, you will gain a mega confidence boost, a positive change in perspective, and a new lease on life. Best yet, you can experience this surge of good-good energy every time you watch your video. (Plus, it’s solid social media gold.)

So, as much as it seems easy and unobtrusive to bring your own camera on a skydive, you will be safer and happier with the end product if you leave the media to the pros. 

Ready to show your friends (and yourself) how cool you are? Book with us today! And if you still yearn to create your own sick video, consider your first jump as a springboard to earning your own skydiving license. You are capable of whatever you put your mind to. Blue skies!