Three skydivers from Shenzhen, equipped with Shenzhen-made parachuting gear, recently took a daring jump from an altitude of 12,991 meters in Tennessee, the U.S. Their exhilarating freefall not only established a new record for Chinese skydiving, but was also a significant milestone — this was the first time that such a feat was accomplished using equipment produced in China.

The equipment was produced by Longhua District-based Shenzhen Skyeagle Equipment Technology Co. Ltd., which specializes in parachute safety systems, according to a Shenzhen Economic Daily report yesterday.

The three skydivers from Shenzhen, equipped with Shenzhen-made parachuting gear, during a jump from an altitude of 12,991 meters in Tennessee, the U.S. 

Prior to the event, the skydiving record in China was 7,500 meters, and equipment from Skyeagle was used.

This new record demonstrates China’s strength and potential in skydiving and the reliability and sophistication of Chinese parachuting equipment, the report said. The success may significantly boost the global presence of Chinese-made parachuting equipment and strengthen Chinese companies’ competitive edge in the international market, analysts said.

Generally speaking, skydiving is usually practiced below an altitude of 4,000 meters. Once heights surpassing 5,000 meters are attempted, oxygen equipment is required. Above 10,000 meters, the air is thin, the pressure is extremely low, and temperatures can plummet below -50 degrees Celsius — these extreme conditions challenge both athletes and equipment.

“An altitude above 10,000 meters poses high demands on parachute materials. Air density is related to air resistance — opening the parachute in thin air results in faster descent speeds and greater impact on the parachute. These conditions require high levels of reliability and safety,” Xie Qihao, director of R&D at Skyeagle, said during an interview with Shenzhen News Group’s DT News.

Established in 2014, Skyeagle’s independently developed parachute system received the country’s first airworthiness certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China in September 2023.

At present, Skyeagle possesses over 100 core patents that cover several technical gaps in the domestic parachute field. Its comprehensive list of products includes human parachutes, whole aircraft parachutes, drone parachutes, airdrop systems, and recovery systems.