BASE Jumping
Wingsuit world record! Peter Salzmann BASE jumps at 347kph
Peter Salzmann challenged the fastest camera drone in the world to keep up with his jump from the north face of the Eiger, setting a new wingsuit BASE-jump speed world record in the process.
On Tuesday, August 19, Salzburg native and BASE-jump innovator Peter Salzmann made history when he launched from a narrow ledge 3,713m above sea level. Wearing a wingsuit he developed specifically for this record attempt, Salzmann free fell 2,073m into the valley, before landing safely at 1,640m.
Big emotions for Peter Salzmann after the world record BASE jump
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
The world record is confirmation that we can keep pushing the boundaries with innovation and hard work
01
World speed record
With this extraordinary performance, Salzmann raised the BASE jump world speed record from 340 to 347kph and outpaced the world's fastest camera drone. For an idea of how fast that is, Formula One cars reach a top speed of around 320kph at the Red Bull Ring.
All about Peter Salzmann's world record
02
Free falling for 35 seconds
Seconds before jumping off the point known as 'the Ecstasy Board'
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
347kph: no BASE jump has ever been faster
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
A tracker was integrated into Salzmann's wingsuit to precisely measure all data - a radar gun was also used to track his exact speed. Up to the landing point at 1,640m, Salzmann was in free fall for 35 seconds.
Those 35 seconds cause extreme strain on the body, as well as the wingsuit material. "Every little movement decides whether you can finish the flight cleanly," emphasised Salzmann. "It's absolute body tension, total control - and the knowledge that you can't afford to make a mistake."
Another challenge, apart from the speed chase, was slowing down for a safe landing. Opening a parachute at 347kph would be life-threatening. Salzmann first had to manoeuvre in the air to reduce his speed to around 100kph in order to deploy the parachute safely.
A relationship of trust: drone pilot Ralph Hogenbirk and Peter Salzmann
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
Confidence in the drone and the pilot was extremely important, because at these speeds, there can be no room for error
03
A challenge for man and machine
The drone tries to keep up with Salzmann at a top speed of 347kph
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
Salzmann was accompanied by a special drone from the Dutch Drone Gods, a team that already had F1 world champion Max Verstappen in its sights. This high-tech aircraft was developed to be able to follow extremely fast objects such as racing cars, and to fly a race against Verstappen at Silverstone, for example. But what it experienced on the north face of the Eiger was on another level: this special drone was in the air at the same time as Salzmann to document the spectacular wingsuit BASE jump. In short, Salzmann pushed the world's fastest camera drone to its limits.
The Dutch Drone Gods founder with the fastest camera drone in the world
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
During Peter Salzmann's wingsuit BASE jump, we had to descend vertically - a scenario that we'd never flown before
"Normally we fly horizontally behind racing cars," explained Dutch Drone Gods founder Ralph Hogenbirk. "For Peter Salzmann's wingsuit BASE jump, we had to fly vertically downwards - a scenario we've never flown before."
For Salzmann, the collaboration with the Dutch Drone Gods was above all a question of trust. "Confidence in the drone and the pilot was extremely important, because at these extremely high speeds, there can be no room for error," said Peter Salzmann.
The record jump was not just a challenge for Salzmann. Air turbulence behind the wingsuit made it a technical challenge for the drone and the pilot to maintain a stable image at over 340kph. "The drone was also at its absolute limit," explained drone pilot Ralph Hogenbirk.
04
Giving wings to dreams
The fascination of pushing boundaries has driven Salzmann for years. For him, speed is more than just a value on the display: "I've always been driven by the question: How fast can you really fly?" In the intensive preparations for this project, he worked with manufacturers on various suits, collaborated with the Red Bull Advanced Technologies engineering team in the UK, tested postures and analysed the interim results down to the smallest detail. Every angle, every shoulder movement, every head position influences the airflow - and therefore the speed.
"Even a minimal difference can make a difference of several kilometres per hour. That's what makes this sport so extreme, the smallest nuances determine success or failure," explained Salzmann.
Peter Salzmann fulfilled a dream with the speed world record
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
I've always been driven by the question: How fast can you really fly?
05
A record for the history books
With a speed of 347kph, Salzmann not only holds the world record for the fastest wingsuit BASE jump and has beaten the world's fastest camera drone, but has also taken the sport to new (speed) dimensions with his innovation.
Mission complete
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
"The world record is confirmation that we can keep pushing the boundaries with innovation and hard work," emphasised the 38-year-old after his record jump. "I always believed in my idea that I could break this record. This project has been a major goal for me over the past few years."
06
Who is Peter Salzmann?
Peter Salzmann is one of the world's leading wingsuit pilots and a true innovator. After jumping onto cushions from his parents' balcony as a child, he became a skydiver and BASE jumper at 20. He quickly racked up over 500 jumps worldwide before shifting his focus to wingsuit flying, where he is now contributing to the rapid development of the sport. In 2024, he set several world records with his newly developed ‘Wingsuit Foil’. With this speed world record, he makes yet another mark in the history of wingsuit BASE jumping.