Visualize Your Skydive in 3D with FlySight and Google Earth

Have you ever wished you could relive your skydive in 3D, seeing every move you made during freefall and canopy flight? With FlySight and Google Earth, you can do exactly that — and it only takes a few simple steps.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to turn your raw FlySight data into a fully 3D visual experience, so you can analyze, relive, and even share your jump with others.

If you’re new to FlySight, check out this intro article to learn more: [insert link here]

🛰️ What is a FlySight?

FlySight is a high-frequency GPS device designed specifically for wingsuit pilots, skydivers, and BASE jumpers. It logs GPS data at 5 Hz (five times per second), which means it captures highly detailed info about your jump, including:

• Latitude, longitude, and altitude (above mean sea level)

• Horizontal and vertical speeds

• Heading and direction of travel

• Satellite accuracy metrics (HDOP/VDOP)

It’s a go-to tool for anyone looking to improve performance, analyze flight paths, or just geek out over data. If you want I wrote a dedicated article here

💾 Step 1 – Download your TRACK file

After landing, plug your FlySight into your computer via USB. You’ll see a folder containing several .CSV files. These are the raw recordings of your jump.

Look for the one named something like TRACK.CSV and copy it to your desktop or a working folder.

👀 Step 2 – Open the file in FlySight Viewer

FlySight comes with its own dedicated visualizer: FlySight Viewer. If you don’t have it yet, download it here: https://flysight.ca/extras/

Once installed, launch the app and open your TRACK.CSV file:

• Go to File → Open

• Select the CSV file you just downloaded

You’ll now see a 2D map of your jump, along with optional graphs showing vertical speed, glide ratio, altitude, and more.

🌍 Step 3 – Export to KML

To view your jump in 3D, we need to export the data to a format Google Earth understands — and that’s KML (Keyhole Markup Language).

Inside FlySight Viewer:

• Go to File → Export → KML

• Save the output as something like my_jump.kml

This file will contain the GPS coordinates of your entire flight path.

🗺️ Step 4 – Import the KML file into Google Earth

Now open Google Earth Pro (free to download here) on your computer.

To load your jump:

• Go to File → Open

• Select the .kml file you just exported

Your skydive will now appear as a 3D line over the Earth, following your exact path.

🚀 Step 5 – Explore your jump in 3D

This is where the magic happens.

Using Google Earth, you can:

• Fly around your jump path in full 3D

• Zoom in on freefall transitions or canopy turns

• Tilt and rotate the view to see your glide, fall rate, or pattern over terrain

If your jump was over mountains, cliffs, or near coastline, the result is especially impressive.

⚠️ KML export limitations

While FlySight Viewer does a great job exporting the basic track, there’s one downside:
👉 The KML file only includes latitude, longitude, and altitude.

This means all the extra data — like:

• Speed (horizontal and vertical)

• Glide ratio

• Number of satellites, accuracy

...won’t be visible in Google Earth. It’s still in the original .CSV, just not part of the .kml.

If you're technically inclined, it’s possible to generate custom KML files with extended data. (Shoot me a message if you're into that and I’ll point you in the right direction.)

🧭 2D vs 3D viewing options

Google Earth lets you switch easily between 2D and 3D modes:

• Use your mouse scroll wheel to zoom

• Click and drag to rotate and tilt the view

• Pan around to inspect both freefall segments and canopy flight paths

You can pause mid-jump, trace your flight line, or simply fly along it like a camera drone. It’s insanely fun — and useful.

🪂 Final thoughts

Being able to see your skydive in 3D changes everything. It’s not just cool — it helps you:

• Understand your movement through space

• Visualize your turns and transitions

• Analyze performance and decision points

• Share awesome visuals with friends, teammates, or coaches

Whether you’re a beginner tracking your fall rate or a seasoned wingsuit pilot perfecting your line, this is a powerful tool to have.