Red Bull’s aerial athletes and pilots have joined forces to create the Ultimate Aerial Obstacle Course – a 15-stage airborne route that connects open skies, mountain peaks, and city skylines into what appears to be a single continuous flightline.
Filmed across eight countries and featuring 34 athletes, the project blends wingsuit flying, skydiving, paramotors, aerobatics, and drone formations into one massive “party jump” that pushes the boundaries of aerial collaboration.
This is yet another bold and unique Red Bull production that stretches the limits of creativity and human capability. Having been involved in all major Red Bull aerial projects so far, this one was no exception, and I’m truly honored to have been part of it.
It is by far the most complex and largest aerial project to date. Once again, the athletes achieved something worthy of the history books, and I was there to capture it through my lens.
I joined the team at the very beginning, during the shoot in Mali Lošinj, Croatia. That location became the core of the entire production, with five of the 14 obstacles filmed there.
When helicopters, airplanes, wingsuit flyers, and flying in general are involved, nothing is ever simple. These are highly complex operations, and there are always moments of uncertainty. Most of the time, you only get one chance to capture the shot.
What made this project even more challenging was the fact that nothing of this scale or complexity had ever been attempted before. Many aspects were completely new and unpredictable. That’s exactly why good planning, something I always emphasize, was crucial, along with clear and constant communication within the team.
The segment of the project shot in Croatia was the most demanding one, involving two Red Bull Alpha Jets, a Cargo aircraft, two helicopters, and a team of nearly 60 members.
Here are the obstacles we completed in Croatia:
Start: Jet Ski Drop – Lošinj, Croatia
Jet skis are released from a cargo plane high above the Adriatic, parachuting safely into the sea as wingsuiters Andy Farrington, Mike Swanson, and Sebastián Álvarez follow 10 seconds later.
Smoke Tunnel – Lošinj, Croatia
Farrington, Swanson, and Álvarez fly through a smoke tunnel traced by The Flying Bulls Alpha Jets flying in formation.
Pararings – Lošinj, Croatia
The trio simultaneously threads through airborne rings held in formation by paramotor pilots.
Human Gates – Lošinj, Croatia
Farrington, Swanson, and Álvarez fly in a train formation through three human gates positioned one after another, created by nine skydivers holding streamers.
The rest of the project also included:
Hot Air Balloon Target – Manresa, Spain
Swanson, Marco Waltenspiel, and Dani Román strike a paper target suspended beneath a hot-air balloon in formation flight.
Swoop Balloon Landing – Mammoth Mountain, USA
Álvarez, Swanson, and Jon Devore deploy their parachutes and perform a swoop landing on a mountain peak, bursting balloons with the blades attached to their feet.
Human Catapults – Sass Pordoi, Italy
Álvarez, Fred Fugen, and Amber Forte are launched skyward by three DD Squad catapults, accelerating instantly into freefall.
Rock Gate – Sass Pordoi, Italy
The wingsuiters navigate a narrow natural rock formation shaped like a gate on the mountainside.
Pylon Slalom – Les Diablerets, Switzerland
Fugen, Forte, and Román weave between towering inflatable pylons stretched across the Alpine ridgeline.
Parahook – Niederöblarn, Austria (catch) / Dubai, UAE (release)
Fugen breaks away from the formation to hook onto a mid-air line carried by Dimitris Kolliakos’s paramotor. He later releases at a higher altitude to continue the flight.
Canopy Gate – West End, Bahamas
Fugen joins Waltenspiel, Marco Fürst, and Max Manow as the group passes through a gate formed by eight canopy flyers suspended in open sky.
Marina Slalom – Dubai, UAE
Waltenspiel, Fürst, and Manow slalom between the skyscrapers of Dubai Marina, accompanied by an aerobatic XDubai aircraft flying along the skyline.
Red Bull Drone Can – Dubai, UAE
The trio flies through a glowing Red Bull can formed by 600 drones hovering above the city.
Atlantis Gate – Dubai, UAE
The team glides through the center of Atlantis The Royal before flaring and opening their parachutes in cinematic style.
Finish: Jet Ski Landing – West End, Bahamas
Fürst and Manow descend under canopy to land directly on moving jet skis, joined moments later by additional pilots and aerobatic aircraft for the final celebration.
Creative Freedom in the Sky
Every obstacle began as an athlete-driven idea. “With the crew we have, it was easy to brainstorm, as there are loads of creative people on the team,” explains Dani Román, who flew in formation for the Hot Air Balloon Target. “Somebody brings an idea, then somebody else adds something.”
Those ideas became months of testing and coordination across disciplines. “There’s no roadmap for something like this. Each one of these obstacles is its own project,” says Luke Aikins, skydiver, Red Bull Air Force member, and one of the sport directors of the project. “The only way we were able to do it is that we have the best athletes in the world – and the impossible is what we do every day.”
Innovation and Collaboration
The Red Bull Drone Can segment required inventing new aerial protocols. “It was at a very high level, altitude-wise and technically,” says Muyassar Abulkhair, CEO of Skyvertise. “Bringing skydivers, fireworks and drones all together – maybe one day you’ll see a new sport.”
Behind every second of flight was months of preparation. “Even if we show the behind-the-scenes, people won’t realise how much work and teamwork are involved,” says Fugen. “This has never happened before, and maybe it never will again,” adds paramotor pilot Dimitris Kolliakos.
Why It Matters
The Ultimate Aerial Obstacle Course redefines aerial sport by merging multiple flight disciplines into one visual and technical narrative. It demonstrates how creativity, precision, and teamwork can transform the skies into a shared playground, expanding the future of aerial entertainment and cross-disciplinary sport.
About the Wingsuit Athletes
Marco Waltenspiel is a Red Bull athlete, Austrian BASE jumper, and wingsuit pilot renowned for his creative formation projects within the Red Bull Skydive Team.
Marco Fürst, also a Red Bull athlete from Austria and member of the Red Bull Skydive Team, is a wingsuit pilot and formation flyer celebrated for his precision, coordination, and aerial choreography.
Max Manow is a Red Bull skydiver and Red Bull Skydive Team member, canopy and wingsuit pilot from Germany, recognised for innovative aerial feats and high-precision team jumps.
Dani Román is a Red Bull athlete from Spain, a wingsuit flyer and BASE jumper who travels globally to push the boundaries of flight.
Fred Fugen is a Red Bull athlete, a member of the Soul Flyers, and a veteran wingsuit pioneer from France, recognised for innovation in aerial precision and mountain flight.
Amber Forte, a Red Bull athlete from the UK, is a specialist in proximity flying and high-mountain wingsuit navigation.
Sebastián Álvarez is a Chilean Red Bull athlete and former Air Force pilot known for precision low-altitude wingsuit flights and aerobatic integration with jet formations.
Andy Farrington is an American Red Bull athlete and member of the Red Bull Air Force, known for technical formation flying, complex feats, and safety direction in projects.
Mike Swanson a veteran Red Bull skydiver from the United States, is recognised for formation leadership, safety expertise, and precision flying within the Red Bull Air Force.
Ultimate Aerial Obstacle Course Details
Athletes: 34 aerial athletes and pilots
Number of Obstacles: 15
Duration of Project: 2 years (2024–2025)
Filming Locations: Croatia, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, United States, Bahamas, United Arab Emirates
Disciplines: Wingsuit, skydiving, paramotor, aerobatics, jet suit and Alpha Jet
Drone Formation: 600 drones forming a floating Red Bull can, up to 1,000 feet above ground
INSIDE THE SHOOT WITH PREDRAG VUCKOVIC
Projects of this scale – complex, demanding, and truly unique, require absolute professionalism at every step. Aerial photography is challenging on its own, but when combined with multiple high-speed sports and a project where timing is everything, the margin for error becomes extremely small. In situations where athletes move at high velocity and formations last only a few seconds, a photographer often has just one opportunity to capture the perfect shot.
This is where the expertise of Predrag Vučković becomes essential. Recognized internationally for his mastery of aerial and action sports photography, Vučković brings decades of experience to projects that take place in the sky.
Throughout his career, he has worked on assignments involving paragliders, wingsuit flyers, skydivers, and parachutists, as well as a wide range of aircraft, from helicopters to Alpha Jets.
His deep understanding of aerial sports, flight dynamics, and complex mid-air environments allows him to predict movement, position himself safely, and react within seconds. He has spent more than 500 hours shooting in the air, perfecting his skills.
The equipment used for this shooting
Cameras: Nikon Z9 x 2
Various lenses: from 10mm f 1.2 to 800mm f 5.6 + extender 1200mm f 6.3
GoPro action cameras x 10
Insta 360 action cameras x 5
Helicopters x 2
Skyvan aircraft x 1
Predrag Vučković is among a very small number of photographers worldwide capable of meeting the demands of projects that often resemble aerial sequences seen in Hollywood movies, rather than “the usual” photography assignments.