Skydiving in New Zealand is more than a once-in-a-lifetime thrill — it’s a vibrant, growing sport with opportunities for progression, training, and national-level competition. NZ Skydiving is the national body responsible for developing the sport, supporting skydivers, and helping jumpers of all experience levels connect with our community.
Whether you’re newly licensed, returning to the sport, or a seasoned competitor, this page will help you understand what sport skydiving in Aotearoa is all about.
What Is Sport Skydiving?
Sport skydiving refers to jumping for recreation, progression, learning, and competition — rather than commercial tandem operations. It includes everything from your first solo jump, all the way to high-performance national teams.
Sport skydivers train at drop zones throughout New Zealand in a range of disciplines, including:
- Formation Skydiving (FS) – Teams of 2–8 jumpers building shapes in freefall.
- Vertical Formation Skydiving (VFS) – A fast, dynamic version of FS using head-up and head-down flight.
- Wingsuiting – Flying specially-designed suits that allow long, gliding flight.
- Canopy Piloting (CP) – Precision and speed flying under canopy through set courses
- Freestyle & Freefly – Artistic, dynamic solo and team flying in all orientations.
- Accuracy Landing & Style – Classic disciplines focusing on precision and technique.
- Speed Skydiving – how fast the human body can fly through the air
Skydivers can progress at their own pace, train casually, or work toward competition goals.
Here is a link to a map with info about each drop zone in NZ. Click on the icon for each drop zone for details about what they offer to skydivers.
How to Get Involved
1. Get Licensed
If you’re not yet licensed, contact an NZ Skydiving-affiliated drop zone to begin your training. Once licensed, you’ll have access to sport jumps and can start exploring different disciplines.
2. Get involved at your local Drop Zone
Most training and competition teams form organically at drop zones. Join weekend jumps, get coaching, and connect with other skydivers interested in your chosen discipline.
You can also keep an eye on the News and Events Page [insert link] for the latest info about upcoming boogies, skills camps, leagues, competitions, and community activities happening around the country.
3. Access Coaching
Coaching is available throughout New Zealand in FS, VFS, wingsuiting, canopy piloting, and more. Many events feature coaching days, skills camps, and seminars. If you are interested in connecting with a coach or learning more about a particular discipline, get in touch with the discipline reps on this contact page [insert link to discipline reps biogs and contact document]
4. Enter a Competition
Competitions range from beginner-friendly to advanced. You can:
- Enter the NZ Skydiving League at any drop zone any weekend between November 2025 to April 2026.[link to NZ Skydiving League]
- Join skills camps focused on your discipline, check out our [event calendar][link to Event Calendar] for info on upcoming skills camps.
- Register for your first [Nationals][link to Nationals Event Page] as an individual or as part of a team.
Safety & Standards
All sport skydiving in New Zealand is regulated under the Part 149 certification held by NZ Skydiving Ltd. Our systems ensure:
- Standardised training and licensing
- Recognised ratings for coaches, instructors, and examiners
- Safety requirements aligned with international practice
- Updated manuals, procedures, and safety notices
Whether you’re training for fun or preparing for a world championship, you can do so within a structured, safety-driven environment.