Can You Skydive at Night?

Table of Contents

• What Is Considered a Night Skydive?
• Night Skydiving Requirements
• Safety Procedures & Equipment
• Why Tandems Cannot Skydive at Night
• Why Skydive at Night?
• Military Night Skydives
• Ready to Start Skydiving?

Key Takeaways

Night skydiving comes with strict requirements and is not an option for tandem students. Officially defined as any jump occurring one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise, night skydives demand additional training, equipment, and preparation. Only licensed skydivers with a USPA B license or higher may participate, and they must follow strict safety procedures. 

You already know skydiving is a weather-dependent sport, but is it a sunshine-dependent sport? Is it possible to go skydiving at night? The answer is yes, but not for everyone. Tandem skydives cannot be done at night, though licensed skydivers can take on the challenge under certain conditions. Here’s what you need to know about night skydiving.

What Is Considered a Night Skydive?

A skydive is officially classified as a night parachute jump if it takes place one hour after sunset until one hour before sunrise. Anything outside of these parameters is considered a daytime jump.

Most dropzones schedule night skydiving around a full moon. The moonlight helps provide visibility, making it easier for jumpers to see the horizon, ground features, and each other. Cloudy nights or high winds could cancel night jumps, as the margin for error is much smaller compared to daytime jumps.

Night Skydiving Requirements

Skydiving is already an extreme sport, and adding darkness brings another layer of risk. Reduced light makes it harder to see under parachute and more challenging to land safely, which is why strict rules are in place.

In the US, the United States Parachute Association (USPA) sets the standards for licensing. To make a night jump, a skydiver must hold at least a USPA B License, which requires:

• A minimum of 50 skydives
• At least 30 minutes of freefall
• Landing within 33 feet of target center on 10 jumps
• Completing 10 formation skydives
• Completing the B-License Canopy Piloting Proficiency Card requirements
• Passing written exams

These requirements ensure that jumpers have the experience and judgment needed to responsibly handle the extra challenges of night flight.

Safety Procedures & Equipment

Night jumps require more preparation than a standard daytime skydive. Dropzones take extra precautions to help keep jumpers safe:

• Lights and strobes: Just like boats on the water or planes in the sky, skydivers wear visible lights to signal their position and direction. Adding glow sticks to helmets, arms, or ankles for extra visibility.

• Landing zone lighting: Car headlights or floodlights are often set up to make the landing area easier to spot.

• Altimeters: Skydivers use wrist altimeters to track altitude. At night, these must light up, and most jumpers wear an additional audible altimeter that beeps at set heights. This helps compensate for reduced visual cues.

• Solo jump first: Before participating in a group night skydive, jumpers usually must complete at least one solo night jump. Some dropzones also require a daytime jump at the same location earlier in the day.

• Location tracking: Because off-landings are more dangerous in the dark, jumpers may be required to carry a phone to aid in recovery if they miss the landing zone.

• Formal briefing: Before the event, all participants attend a detailed safety meeting to review procedures and contingencies.

All of this preparation, combined with perfect weather and often a full moon, helps to mitigate the additional risk added with night skydives.

Why Tandems Cannot Skydive at Night

Even though tandem instructors hold some of the highest ratings in the sport, tandem skydives 

are not permitted at night. Limited visibility makes it too risky to take someone without skydiving experience. Tandems already require the instructor’s complete focus; adding the challenges of darkness increases risk in a way that simply isn’t acceptable.

Why Skydive at Night?

So, why is night jumping a thing? For most, it’s about the novelty and experience. Night skydives are not offered regularly; most dropzones only schedule them a few times per year, often tied to special events or boogies.

The sensation is unlike any other jump. With the moon shining and the stars above, skydivers often describe it as surreal, like floating in space. You can see the glow of city lights below while flying silently under the canopy. Because visual cues are limited, your other senses heighten. You become more aware of sound, body position, and the feel of the wind.

In the past, night jumps were a requirement for earning a USPA D license. That’s no longer the case, but many skydivers still view it as an important milestone and a way to challenge themselves.

Military Night Skydives

While civilian night jumps are rare, military night skydives are much more common. Military personnel often train with HAHO (High Altitude High Opening) jumps at night to practice navigation and stealth under limited light conditions. Specialized gear, like night-vision goggles (NVGs), is sometimes used, but the principles remain the same: precise planning, strong canopy skills, and teamwork.

Ready to Start Skydiving?

While night tandems aren’t an option, a daytime tandem skydive could be just around the corner. If you’re thinking about pursuing your license and eventually earning the chance to do a night jump, it all starts with that very first tandem. Book your jump today, we can’t wait to take you flying!