Frontgrid, an expert in adventure leisure and virtual reality attractions and the creator of ParadropVR, is helping The National Naval Aviation Museum in Florida, US, deliver a new immersive VR installation, which is expected to open in summer 2026.
The new installation will invite guests on an interactive airborne mission experience that complements the museum’s existing simulators, cockpit trainers, and aviation exhibits.
It will include two ParadropVR Pods, a motion-based platform that merges physical movement with VR content to deliver a high-fidelity sensation of flight.
Matt Wells, CEO of Frontgrid, says: "The National Naval Aviation Museum is an incredible setting for this kind of experience.
"ParadropVR complements their existing simulators and exhibits by adding a new, interactive element that is both accessible and engaging. It gives people an exhilarating experience, whilst being approachable for all the family – and gives the sense of being on a mission in a way a static exhibit simply can’t.
"Having started my career as a paratrooper in the British Army, it’s particularly rewarding to bring an airborne-themed experience into a venue dedicated to aviation history in a way that feels authentic and respectful.”
The National Naval Aviation Museum logo
Rear Admiral Kyle Cozad, USN (Ret.), President and CEO of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation, says: "The Paradrop VR experience gives our visitors the chance to feel the adrenaline, anticipation, and excitement of a simulated parachute jump in a safe and immersive environment.
"Experiences like this help bring the spirit of Naval Aviation and adventure to life in an entirely new way for our visitors."
ParadropVR Mission – Mountain Ops
Frontgrid is an expert in creating custom VR experiences for specific venues, themes, and audiences, leveraging the ParadropVR platform's versatility to deliver bespoke content for museums, visitor attractions, and entertainment venues globally.
"We now have ParadropVR installations in sixteen countries worldwide. This is the third military museum to feature it," says Wells.
"We also have very successful installations at the National Infantry Museum, also in the USA, and the RAF Museum in the UK.
"ParadropVR is simply such a good fit as a way of offering a unique experience which appeals to all the family.
"It is a futuristic way of retelling historical events, in effect time travelling, andexploring environments from the sky, bringing the narrative of other exhibits to life."
The Florida installation will debut a new experience titled ParadropVR Mission – Mountain Ops.
The gamified VR mission places visitors inside a simulated airborne operation. A briefing sequence starts the experience, after which visitors parachute into a mountainous operational environment behind enemy lines.
They then steer their descent by following visual waypoints, supporting an allied advance below while evading incoming fire, environmental dangers, and disputed airspace.
ParadropVR Mission – Mountain Ops screenshot
Tammy Owens, business development director and producer, says: "Flyers will be dropped behind enemy lines, searching for a hidden military base.
"They will need to stay low and in control as they descend, avoiding the natural hazards of the landscape. As they approach their objective, defences activate and the skies become more contested."
The experience concentrates on navigation, coordination, and timing. Rapid-paced and immersive, the attraction caters to a broad age range and is accessible to aviation and military enthusiasts and families alike, with repeatable gameplay that appeals to both first-time players and returning guests.
Last month, Frontgrid shared how immersive technology can provide a year-round revenue stream to help mountain destinations globally overcome the 'seasonal slump'.
