In Touching the Sky VR, the world’s most immersive flying adventure to date, Fugen and Durogati take viewers on a breathtaking journey through the skies, an experience that feels as close to actual flight as possible without leaving the ground.
Join Fugen and Durogati on a breathtaking journey through the skies
© Jonathan Griffith Productions/Red Bull
Available exclusively on Meta Quest, Touching the Sky VR is the result of more than two years of work, combining cutting-edge virtual reality technology, incredible athletic skill, meticulous planning and the raw power of nature. The goal? To capture the true feeling of flight, allowing viewers to experience what it’s really like to soar through some of the world’s most breathtaking skies.
To bring the experience of flight to life, the team behind Touching the Sky VR had to develop entirely new filming techniques. Custom-built 3D-360 cameras were created specifically for the project, designed to capture every angle while keeping the sensation of flight as real and immersive as possible.
“I cant really divulge the secrets obviously,” explains Griffith. “but… simply showing aerial sports is incredibly complicated. These arent motorised sports, meaning you cant just hit ‘pause’ on the production and get everyone to wait in the air whilst you get in position for the shot. I realise that sounds obvious, but in pretty much all other sport situations you can do just that – hit pause.”
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Mastering the sky: Precision, perseverance and pushing limits
Fred Fugen is known for pushing the boundaries of wingsuit flying
© Jonathan Griffith Productions/Red Bull
“The biggest challenge was in freefall, to fly with such a camera,” explains Fugen. “It took a lot of work to collaborate with the drone pilots who were in the helicopter. You had to adapt and synchronise together to do the jumps and freefalls. We didn’t have much training together [beforehand], so combining our skillsets was challenging.”
For Fugen, whose passion has expanded from parachuting into BASE jumping, wingsuit flying and speed riding, this project demanded a new level of precision – not just for safety and performance, but for the revolutionary technology capturing every moment.
Meanwhile, Durogati brought his own unique perspective to the project. Despite doctors once telling him his knees were so damaged he should retire, he continued pushing boundaries. His pioneering flights in the Himalayas and Karakoram, including a 312km triangle flight in Pakistan that set an Asian record, made him uniquely qualified for this ambitious undertaking.
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From the Alps to the Karakoram: Filming on the edge of the world
The film brings you as close as possible to experiences like this
© Jonathan Griffith Productions/Red Bull
The production took the crew to some of the world’s most stunning and remote locations. They filmed in the iconic peaks of Zermatt, Switzerland, the towering Mont Blanc massif on the French-Italian border, and the jagged spires of the Dolomites in northern Italy. The most challenging destination, however, was in Pakistan, deep in the Karakoram mountain range.
In Pakistan, the team operated from Payu basecamp, navigating a 440km glacier field by helicopter. Pilots had to carefully time their flights with thermal air currents to avoid stopping. One of the standout locations was the Great Trango Tower, a massive granite peak rising 6,286m (20,623ft). Known as a legendary spot for big-wall climbing, it became the dramatic backdrop for capturing breathtaking aerial footage.
“Flying in Pakistan is quite extreme because the mountains are huge and take expert technique to manage,” explains Durogati. “The thermal flows are unique to those in the Alps. If something happened there, you’re by yourself, and it’s unlikely that rescue helicopters can come to pick you up. In the Alps, you can almost always count on a rescue.”
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Teamwork, commitment and the patience necessary to capture perfection
Patience was required on long shoots in challenging environments
© Jonathan Griffith Productions/Red Bull
The production relied heavily on the incredible flying skills of athletes Fugen and Durogati. “I felt responsible for the whole team when we were flying,” Durogati explains, reflecting on the pressure of the project.
“What’s the trajectory? What’s the angle of attack?” These questions, posed by Fugen during production, highlight the complex choreography required for every flight sequence. While the pilots performed jaw-dropping stunts, the camera crews worked in tricky and sometimes risky positions, waiting for the perfect moment when safety, visibility, and precision all lined up.
Patience was one of the biggest challenges. Weather windows opened and closed unpredictably, creating tense “will we or won’t we” moments that tested the entire team’s resolve. But when everything fell into place, the results were breathtaking. The footage captured perspectives that, until now, had only been experienced by the world’s most elite paragliding and skydiving athletes.
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Redefining the experience of flight
The film captures a deep emotional connection to flying
© Jonathan Griffith Productions/Red Bull
Touching the Sky VR combines groundbreaking technology with the unstoppable human drive to chase the impossible. The film doesn’t just showcase the stunning visuals of soaring through the air – it captures the deep emotional connection to flying in a way that’s never been done before.
“The footage is just incredible. It’s the most mesmerising thing I’ve ever watched in a [VR] headset. It’s meditative. It’s beautiful. It’s intense. It’s every emotion possible. When I put it in the headset, it feels just as goosebumpy and impressive as it did when I was there,” reminisces Griffith.
“This movie will give the chance for so many people to see places and have feelings they will never have the chance to get,” reflects Durogati. Beyond the breathtaking visuals, Touching the Sky VR offers a way for anyone with a headset to experience the magic of flight and explore remote locations that few will ever visit.
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Where to watch Touching the Sky VR and the making of
Find out more in the ‘making of’ documentary on Red Bull TV
© Jonathan Griffith Productions/Red Bull
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