Questions Arise Over Chinese Paraglider’s High-Altitude Flight Video
A Chinese paraglider’s dramatic account of being swept into a thundercloud and carried 8 kilometres into the sky is facing serious doubts. The video showing the incident, widely shared by Chinese state media, appears to include AI-generated content.
Peng Yujiang, 55, gained global attention after his support team posted a video of his May 24 flight on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok. The video shows him soaring among clouds with ice encrusting his face. However, a review by US-based digital security firm GetReal found signs that parts of the footage had been faked using artificial intelligence.
Experts Spot Discrepancies in the Viral Clip
According to GetReal, the video’s opening seconds appear to contain AI-generated visuals. The first five seconds were flagged as inauthentic. Experts also noted other inconsistencies. In one moment, Peng’s legs dangle freely, yet later he appears inside an insulated cocoon. His helmet colour also shifts from white to black.
Despite this, five paragliding experts told Reuters that the altitude Peng claimed—8,589 metres—is physically possible. However, four of them doubted that the flight was truly accidental. Peng has since deleted the flight log from XContest, a site popular among the paragliding community. Other flight data linked to him remains online.
Jakub Havel, a Czech paraglider and XContest moderator, dismissed the idea that any pilot would deliberately fly into a thunderstorm. “No sane pilot would do that,” he said. “It should not be considered a record.”
AI Content Triggers Policy Action
The state-run broadcaster CCTV had distributed the video internationally. After learning about the likely AI content, Reuters removed the video from its Reuters Connect platform, noting it violated partner content rules. A statement from Reuters clarified that the video had not been verified and was labelled as third-party material.
CCTV and China’s State Council did not respond to requests for comment. CCTV may soon be subject to new regulations in China, requiring AI-generated content to carry clear labels from September onwards.
Suspension and Safety Concerns Follow
The Gansu Aeronautical Sports Association initially supported Peng’s record-breaking claim. They said he was testing second-hand gear when a strong wind swept him into the air. According to their report, Peng claimed he did not plan to take off.
However, that report has since been deleted, and the association’s website is now blocked. Peng and a support team member have each been suspended for six months—he for his flight, and the team member for releasing the unauthorised video.
Paragliding experts remain sceptical. Daniel Wainwright, an Australian flight instructor, said storm clouds don’t form suddenly. “They build over time. He should have seen it coming,” he said.
Brad Harris, president of the Tasmanian Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, pointed out that Peng wore specialised gloves in the video. “These are not things you’d have if you didn’t plan to fly,” he said.
Former world record holder Godfrey Wenness reviewed the flight data and believes Peng did reach the claimed altitude. The data had been uploaded in a format considered tamper-proof. However, Wenness questioned Peng’s judgment, suggesting he may have deliberately attempted a high ascent.
“with inputs from Reuters”
