Paragliding footage

What it means

A paraglider is a foot-launched fabric wing that lets a pilot soar on rising air for minutes or hours. Paragliding footage covers the launch run off a hill, the flight itself, thermalling in circles to gain height, and the landing in a field below.

Compared with skydiving, paragliding is slow and long. A flight can last an hour or more with very little visible action, so footage is mostly views, the wing above and the pilot or passenger reacting. Tandem flights for tourists are the most common source, much like a tandem skydive video, and often come with a handheld camera on a pole.

How it works in practice

Popular setups are a camera on a pole or selfie stick held out in front, showing the pilot or passenger with the landscape behind, and a camera mounted on the wing lines or harness looking up at the wing.

Launch and landing are the most dynamic moments; film them in full. During the flight, film short clips of views and reactions rather than recording continuously, or plan to trim heavily later.

A 360 camera on a pole is common in paragliding, because it captures the wing, the pilot and the scenery in one clip. Reframe it to a flat video in the camera's app before editing, see 360 reframing.

What to watch out for

Long flights fill cards and drain batteries. Bring spares, and do not leave the camera running for an hour of near-identical views.

Wind roars over the microphone, so expect to use music, or protect the mic with a windscreen if you want commentary.

Poles and sticks must be secured with a lanyard. A dropped camera from altitude is lost and dangerous for people below. Never let the camera distract from flying the wing, especially near terrain or other pilots, where a moment of inattention matters far more than any shot.