Sky Nature and Love Nature have greenlit Airborne (4 x 60’), a “visually stunning series that celebrates the unique challenges and ultimate freedom of animals that use the air to survive and thrive.”

Produced by Humble Bee Films, the series will focus on airborne birds and animals “as they catch air for the first time, snatch in-flight meals, navigate crowded skies and soar through the most challenging environments on the planet.”

The series follows an array of creatures “from soaring condors to leaping lemurs, from gliding squirrels to beautifully buzzing orchid bees”  as they “defy gravity and master the air around them in extraordinary ways.”

Poppy Dixon, Director of Documentaries and Factual at Sky said: “We look to commission exceptional natural history programming that reveals a new lens on our planet. Taking to the air, we are excited to be offering our audiences a thrilling new perspective on the world around us, which we know they will love.”

“Partnering with Sky Nature on this ambitious project allows us the scale to capture breathtaking footage and stories to make this world-class, blue-chip series. We’re also thrilled to deepen our existing content partnership with Sky,” says Carlyn Staudt, General Manager, Love Nature & Head of Commissioning, Global Media, Blue Ant Media. “The immersive and innovative footage of animals in flight, illustrates Love Nature’s commitment to unlocking fresh and compelling perspectives of wildlife that appeal to audiences around the world.”

“Humble Bee Films is delighted to be working with Love Nature and Sky Nature to produce this immersive natural history series. For many animals, the ability to defy gravity and launch into the air is crucial to their survival and our specialist camera teams will take the viewer right alongside as we go Airborne,” says Stephen Dunleavy, Executive Producer, Humble Bee Films.

Each episode explores a different aspect of flight. Catching Air shows how different species use air, from rookies to the masters of the skies; In-flight meals, explores how animals defy gravity to gather food on the ground, in the canopy and high in the air; Love in the air, a look at how animals use air to their advantage when finding and keeping a mate and Flight path, an examination of different navigation methods that involve power and precision, innate GPS and complicated routes through crowded skies.

Airborne is produced by Humble Bee Films for Sky Nature and Love Nature and will premiere on Sky Nature in the UK and Ireland, Italy and Germany and on Love Nature around the world. The series leverages Love Nature’s relationship with Blue Ant Studios’ international rights group, which oversees pre-sales and licensing opportunities for the new title outside of commissioning territories.

The series is executive produced by Charlotte Crosse and Stephen Dunleavy at Humble Bee Films. Poppy Dixon is the executive producer for Sky Nature, and James Manfull executive produces the series on behalf of Love Nature.

Humblebee have also produced Sky Original Secret World of Sound with David Attenborough which will launch on Sunday 25th February.