Why Create 3D Flight Videos?

Your IGC file contains everything needed to recreate your flight in 3D: GPS coordinates, altitude, timestamps, and flight path. A 3D video brings your flight to life with realistic terrain, automatic camera movements, and professional visuals — perfect for sharing on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube.

Two Ways to Create 3D Flight Videos

Option 1: SkyViz (Easiest)

SkyViz automates the entire process. Upload your IGC file, and it renders a cinematic 3D flyover with real terrain. No manual camera setup, no editing software, no technical skills required.

Steps:

Export your IGC file from your flight tracker
Upload it to SkyViz
Open the 3D viewer, customize settings if desired
Export as MP4 in vertical (9:16) or horizontal (16:9) format

What you get: Automatic camera movements, real terrain from satellite data, flight statistics overlay (optional), vertical or horizontal format for any social platform, and HD export ready to share.

Option 2: Google Earth Studio (Manual)

Google Earth Studio gives you complete control over camera angles and timing, but it's significantly more complex and time-consuming. You'll need to:

Convert your IGC to KML format first
Import the KML into Google Earth Studio
Manually set up camera keyframes and paths
Render the animation (can take hours)
Edit the video in separate software (optional)

Best for: Pilots who need custom camera angles or are creating professional productions. For quick social media videos, SkyViz is faster and easier.

What Makes a Great 3D Flight Video?

Longer flights (1+ hours): Cross-country flights with varied terrain look more dynamic than short local flights
Interesting landscape: Flights over mountains, valleys, or coastline are more visually compelling
Clear GPS track: Clean data without gaps produces smoother animations
Right format for platform: Vertical (9:16) for Instagram Stories/TikTok, horizontal (16:9) for YouTube

Tips for Better Results

Speed up the playback (2-4x normal speed works well for most flights)
Add background music in a video editor if your platform allows it
Include key stats in the caption (distance, altitude gain, duration)
Export in the highest quality your platform supports

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need video editing software?

Not with SkyViz. The video is exported ready to upload. You can optionally edit it in apps like CapCut or Adobe Premiere to add music, text, or combine multiple clips.

Can I add multiple flights to one video?

Yes! SkyViz supports multi-track visualization. Upload multiple IGC files to see side-by-side flights (great for races or flying with friends).

How long does it take to create a video?

Upload and rendering combined usually take 2-5 minutes, depending on flight length. Much faster than Google Earth Studio's manual setup and rendering.

Getting Started

Ready to turn your flights into shareable 3D videos? Start with the free SkyViz logbook, then upgrade to Pro for unlimited 3D video exports.

SkyViz handles the entire process: upload IGC, customize settings, export video. Free to start.