Why Can’t I Jump my Go Pro?

Go Pro cameras are getting more popular all the time. And it’s easy to see why!

What better way to capture the excitement of the moment than with an action cam clinging to your mountain bike handlebars, hanging off your kite or suckered to the window of your car as you head off on the road trip of a lifetime?

The videos are amazing, so we totally get why so many people ask us if they can bring their Go Pro on their skydive. Unfortunately, bringing a Go Pro along for the ride isn’t always possible… find out why, here:

Jumping with a Go Pro on a tandem skydive

First things first: you can’t jump a Go Pro on a tandem skydive. No questions, no exemptions. It’s not allowed. Period.

Hey, it’s not that we don’t want you to have great footage! We know how awesome it is to be able to watch your experience back and to share it with your friends and family. That’s why we offer professional video services to all our tandem customers.

The rule around Go Pros and tandem skydives actually comes from the USPA (United States Parachute Association). According to the USPA, “no skydiver with fewer than 200 jumps should jump with a camera”. And as a tandem student, you’re just that – a student skydiver, not a passenger. So you’re bound by the same rules as every other skydiver.

To tell you the truth, you don’t want to be distracted by your Go Pro anyway. The views, the rush, the whole experience of skydiving for the first time is out of this world. Enjoy every moment. Let the professionals handle the camera work for you.

When can I jump with a Go Pro?

You can jump with a Go Pro once you have 200 jumps. At that point, you’re considered to have enough experience to be proficient with your equipment and confident in your flight, so that having the additional ‘complication’ of a camera is less of an issue.

You see, ‘complication’ is the right word. Any time you’re sticking something extra to your body or to your helmet, you’re adding a new factor into the mix. Cameras can be hazards to skydivers, distracting them at best, getting caught on their parachuting equipment at worst. You need to be able to deal with those eventualities, so having 200 jumps as a minimum just makes sense.

Once you have done your 200 jumps, our professional videographers will be happy to talk you through how to use your Go Pro, what to consider, how to deal with any situations that arise from having your Go Pro attached, and tips on how to get the most out of it. If you do choose to post your photos and video online, be sure to tag us – we’ll ‘like’ it like crazy!