Dubai is known for many things. Among the many adventure sports of Dubai, skydiving is the most favoured sporting event for both tourists and locals. The unique opportunity to explore the city’s many sightseeing locations at a glance with a bird-eye view is one for the ages.   

Skydiving in Dubai is one of the most popular adventure activities. There are several options available to tourists based on their level of expertise and willingness to indulge in risky sporting events. You can opt for one of the many skydiving institutions that allow you to soar through the sky over tranquil water bodies and sandy deserts. Some even offer the opportunity to land on Palm Island, the most luxurious man-made structure built on water.  

However, if you are a first-time skydiver, you can opt for the indoor skydiving Dubai experience. Under the careful scrutiny of expert instructors, you can feel the adrenaline rush through your body as you prepare yourself for the outdoor adventure. 

The origin of skydiving 

Skydiving is an adventurous sport that has appealed to adrenaline junkies as well as thrill seekers for over two centuries. The sport was discovered by Andre Jacques Garnerin who was a French aeronaut. Back then, Andre was descending from a hot air balloon and trying fervently to avoid a crash. This uncanny way of falling from the sky took on a life of its own in the form of modern skydiving. 

During the early years, paratroopers used parachutes to jump off moving aeroplanes and land safely on the ground or in the water. The aerodynamics involved in parachuting down from an aeroplane or using a hot air balloon was later translated to using high-functioning gear in order to perform similar activities for thrills. 

These days, skydiving is a popular adventure activity wherein the participant jumps off aeroplanes with propellers rather than air force models. There are some conventions and institutions that also allow thrill seekers to disembark with their sky-diving gears from helicopters, modern aeroplanes, and sometimes dating back two centuries to when Andre Jacques accidentally introduced the sport by using hot air balloons. 

The process of skydiving 

The process of skydiving in its essence is pretty simple. You harness yourself with the skydiving gear offered by exports from licensed institutions and jump off a moving aerial mode of transportation the freefall from an altitude onto the ground or on a body of water. However, the aerodynamics involved with skydiving is much more complex than the simplified process that meets the eye. 

There are several factors that affect the freefall including how snugly the jumpsuit fits the skydiver as well as the altitude from where they fall. Skydivers with some experience prefer to jump from heights of 7000 to 15,000 feet above sea level whereas thrill seekers looking for a skydiving experience prefer shorter altitudes up to 2500 feet. 

The process of skydiving is very similar to parachuting in which once you jump off the aeroplane and descend into a freefall, you must stretch out your arms and legs in order to balance your body weight and reduce the effects of gravity while allowing the skydiving gear to slow down the gliding process. Skydivers often use sensory devices to map the altitude in order to determine the opportune moment to deploy their chutes and land safely. 

The speciality of skydiving 

Skydiving is not just an adventure activity or sporting event, it is also an excellent means to boost your help. This may seem odd as you may wonder how freeballing from an aeroplane with parachutes strapped to your back can help improve your body and mind. 

The thing about skydiving is that the sport requires both inner and outer strength. Even if you have a fear of heights, and sure enough willpower to take on this adventure, you will notice a sudden increase in your adrenaline levels in the body. Adrenaline is responsible for boosting performance as well as providing an uncanny amount of strength. 

You may have heard how mothers can lift cars off their babies due to the adrenaline pumping through their bodies, which is mostly a result of fear. Sky riving has similar effects. The fear of free falling from 2500 to 15,000 feet above the ground adrenaline from your glance that in turn enables you to employ more strength. Adrenaline also sharpens your brain due to the accompanying hormones of endorphins. Skydiving also helps release more serotonin, which is essentially a mood regulator that uplifts your spirits and lowers your levels of anxiety. 

The specific requirements for participating in a skydiving adventure 

The fun-filled activity of skydiving in Dubai is a coveted experience for both tourists as well as locals. However, much like most of the rides in Disneyland, you must meet certain requirements in order to go in skydiving in Dubai: 

• Weight - women must weigh below 90 kg and men must weigh below 100 kg in order to skydive in Dubai. 
• Age - you must be above the age of 18 to participate in Dubai skydiving. For children between the ages of 12 to 18, if a guardian or parent is present and consents for the child to take part in skydiving, then it is allowed. 
• BMI - women must have a body mass index of 27.5 or lower whereas men must have a body mass index of 30 or lower to skydive in Dubai. 
• The weight and BMI of participants play an important role during the freefall. It is not a discriminatory factor, but rather a security protocol to ensure that the jumpsuits allow enough room for the aerodynamics to work on them and slow the process of descending with the skydiving gear.  

The ideal time to go skydiving in Dubai 

The Dubai weather is quite favourable for skydiving throughout the year. Based on your preference for partaking in this thrilling activity under the glowing sun or with a little breeze in the air, you can schedule your skydiving in Dubai. 

The best time to visit dubai for skydiving in the desert is from the month of October to April when there is a gentle breeze to reduce the scorching heat. This is also the time when there might be slight rainfall, in which case your skydiving activity will be rescheduled by the expert instructors for a more favourable time as per the reports of meteorologists. 

If you wish to partake in indoor skydiving for sale through the skies over the waters of the Arabian Sea or around palm island, you can choose to go skydiving in Dubai in both winter and summer. Indoor skydiving is ideal from the month of April to October as not only does it provide an escape from the heat outdoors, but it also prepares you to partake in tandem skydiving at reduced rates in the desert or around the ocean. 

Registering for skydiving in Dubai

To book your skydiving experience in Dubai, follow these steps: 

• Choose the institution that offers the type of skydiving experience you want, be it indoor or outdoor, over the desert, over the city, or even over palm island. 
• Check the operating hours and choose a time slot that best suits you. 
• Make an appointment with a phone call or a visit to the institution and check their available slots to book your own. You will most likely get the slot that you prefer but in case it is the peak season of Dubai tourism, you may have to choose from other available slots. 
• Make the payment for your scheduled slot. As a precautionary measure, you can ask the advisors to check your BMI, weight, and identity proof before booking the slot if you do so in person in order to ensure that you are eligible for skydiving in Dubai as per the regulations.

Skydiving options available in Dubai

How skydiving is conducted in Dubai 

Skydiving in Dubai is conducted with the utmost attention to the safety and security of the participant. Each institution has its own rules and regulations as well as operating hours. You must make an appointment and schedule your skydiving adventure ahead of time. 

The instructors will insist upon checking your weight, BMI, and identity for your age. If you are underage, you must have a guardian or parent present in order to partake in the experience. Depending on the type of skydiving you choose indoors or outdoors, special instructions will be provided for your safety. You can even opt for tandem skydiving if you are unsure or a first-time skydiver 

Rules and regulations for skydiving in Dubai 

As thrilling as skydiving in Dubai is, with the bird's eye view of the man-made utopia, including a man-made island in the middle of the ocean, there are certain rules and regulations that you need to keep in mind when gliding across the sky for the incredible view and adrenaline rush: 

• You must be above the age of 18 if you wish to skydive alone. Children and teenagers aged 12 to 18 and be part of the fun activity as long as they're accompanied by adults, namely guardians or parents. You will be required to present your identity card on the day of your scheduled skydiving adventure. 
• You must dress appropriately in athletic wear such as track pants, tracksuits, jumpsuits, or athletic t-shirts and trousers. You must also wear sneakers instead of flip-flops and sandals and keep your clothing snug in order to prevent the fabric from getting stuck in the skydiving gear. 
• You must always wear the helmet provided by the facility and keep your harness fastened tightly as per the instructions of the expert advisors. 
• You must only go skydiving in Dubai at licensed facilities, preferably at the locations mentioned above, and follow all the rules and regulations set forth by the skydiving institution. 
• During outdoor skydiving, make sure to follow the instructions of the facilitators to disembark from the plane or helicopter, balance yourself during free fall, track the altitude, how to pull out your parachute, and your landing stance on the ground or water. 
• These rules and regulations are strongly enforced when skydiving in Dubai because your safety and security are the utmost concern of not only the institutions but also the government. If you are an amateur skydiver, try the indoor skydiving experience before venturing to the outdoor facilities. Remain calm under stressful situations as hormonal secretions can make you a bit agitated if you are not used to the sudden freefall. 
• For expert skydivers or those with little experience in sporting events, you must still abide by the rules and regulations of each institution. Dubai is a beautiful city and a popular tourist destination, which makes the authorities all the more cautious about maintaining your safety to the utmost extent of their capabilities. 

Tips and things you should remember when planning your skydiving activity in Dubai 

• Skydiving is such a fantastic activity that it entices even the feeblest of hearts. A chance to catch a glimpse of a city that was made completely over the barren land with nothing but sand to build the foundation where now skyscrapers and one of the tallest buildings in the world (Burj Khalifa) stand proudly, is an opportunity you do not want to miss. 
• If you have experienced skydiving before or taken special training and acquired a licence or simply prefer to go skydiving just for the endorphin rush, you probably know what to do and how to prepare yourself for the experience of a lifetime. However, if you are a first-time skydiver or someone with a fear of heights, here are a few tips that will help you enjoy the experience to the fullest: 
• The first thing you need to do is make the decision. For most people who are acrophobic, skydiving is a much bigger challenge than for someone who has never tried the sport before. If you do not tend to pass out or hyperventilate due to acrophobia, then make the decision to test yourself. If you are a first-time skydiver afraid of your zero experience in the past, there is always indoor or tandem skydiving. 
• You need to mentally prepare yourself for the adventure. Most experienced skydivers prefer higher altitudes of 7000 to 15,000 feet but that is a feat that you need not undertake till you are confident enough to go solo skydiving. Nevertheless, whether you skydive indoors or outdoors, you will be free falling, or at the very least flying in the air amid the ceiling or sky and the ground. This can seem a little overwhelming but that is the point of an adventure, especially one that pumps all the good hormones in your body. So be mentally prepared for an adventure you will never forget. 
• One of the most important things to remember even as part of the rules and regulations to go skydiving in Dubai is to dress appropriately. Don't wear loose-fitting clothes that may interfere with your parachute and harness or trap too much air while you are free-falling. You don't need to wear tight clothes but athletic wear is best suited for skydiving. At most institutions, they will offer jumpsuits, especially if you're about to free fall from a helicopter or plane. Just keep yourself comfortable in athletic wear along with sneakers. 
• Now, as skydiving involves you free falling in mid-air, it is pivotal that you pay attention to your diet before embarking on your adventure. Eat a light meal, preferably some dry toast, biscuits, buns, etc., Basically items that can soak up any feeling of nausea. Avoid fasting or waiting to eat after your skydiving experience. If you wish to drink some coffee or consume energy drinks, make sure to do so a few hours before you go skydiving in Dubai. 
• Most importantly, the best tip to remember when skydiving in Dubai is to have tons of fun. It is not every day that you get to glide through the skies above its beautifully man-made metropolis with the most exquisite sights around. So, make the experience memorable. 

P.S.: Certain facilities where you can skydive in Dubai allow you to take selfies while in the air. Since this is a unique experience, make sure to capture the moment. It will keep reminding you of the courage you have inside to undertake such extreme adventures.