iPhone 17 Pro dropped from 30 km altitude — the result is astonishing

Despite being dropped to Earth from an altitude of over 100,000 feet, or 30 kilometers, the iPhone 17 Pro remained undamaged and fully functional. The extraordinary experiment earned the device a place in the Guinness World Records.

The record-breaking test was conducted in Kiruna, Sweden, in collaboration between mobile accessory manufacturer RHINOSHIELD and the UK-based Sent Into Space organization.

According to Guinness World Records, the phone was dropped from 30,607 meters, or 100,418 feet and 8 inches . This is the record for the highest altitude from which a phone in a case has been dropped onto natural terrain.

This altitude is more than three times the typical cruising altitude of passenger aircraft and over three times the height of Mount Everest.

The phone was protected by a special case.

During the extreme test, the iPhone 17 Pro was placed in a RHINOSHIELD AirX protective case. The equipment, lifted by a weather balloon, allowed for the free fall of the phone at the designated point.

The test subjected the device not only to a powerful impact but also to the harsh environmental conditions of high altitude. This was a much more complex experiment than simply dropping a phone from a few meters.

Nevertheless, the iPhone 17 Pro survived. After being recovered, the phone was inspected, and functions such as calling, photography, and the touchscreen were found to be working. No visible damage was recorded on the protective case either.

Guinness World Records officially recognized the result and registered the record to RHINOSHIELD and Sent Into Space .

What was the main purpose of the record?

Through this experiment, the organizers aimed to demonstrate the impact resistance of the AirX protective case . Therefore, this result does not mean that an unprotected iPhone would remain undamaged if dropped from such a height.

RHINOSHIELD stated that the AirX case features a mono-material design, created with both impact protection and recyclability in mind.

Thus, this record has taken the standard 'drop test' for smartphone durability to a new level — the test was conducted not just a few feet from the ground, but at an altitude near the edge of the stratosphere.