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Claim: Multiple social media users on Facebook and X shared a video claiming a man successfully flew using banana leaves as wings.
Verdict: False! The video is a staged skit enhanced with editing and AI-assisted manipulation. There is no evidence of real human flight.
Full Text
A viral video circulating on social media shows a man appearing to fly using banana leaves before crashing onto a rooftop.
In the clip, the man is seen jumping off the ground while flapping large banana leaves attached to his arms, with broom-like objects tied to his feet. The video then transitions into a sequence in which he appears to glide through the air before crashing into the roof of a building.
The video has attracted widespread attention, with the original post garnering over 30 million views, as users express surprise and curiosity about the supposed feat.
One X user, @CrownprinceCom2, described the video as “unbelievable” and urged others to share it. Another user, @sharpsurety, suggested the attempt was successful until the leaves “broke” mid-air.
Given the implausible nature of the claim and the level of engagement it generated, DUBAWA examined the video’s authenticity.
Verification
DUBAWA analysed the video using multiple AI-detection tools, including Deepfake Detection, BrandWell AI Detector, and Undetectable AI Video Detector.
The results consistently indicated a high likelihood of manipulation.
Deepfake Detection returned a forgery probability of 85%, identifying severe distortion during the jump and visible artefacts.
Another analysis found the clip had a 99% probability of being AI-generated.
Undetectable AI also flagged the video as likely AI-generated with 65% confidence.
The tools highlighted unnatural limb movements, inconsistent motion blur, and edge distortions, all common indicators of synthetic or heavily edited content.
Beyond these results, DUBAWA observed several inconsistencies in the video.
First, the movement of the subject in mid-air does not follow natural physical laws. The man appears to “float” rather than fall or descend under gravity, and his motion resembles swimming rather than flying.
Second, closer inspection reveals visual distortions around the banana leaves and parts of the body, particularly during the flight sequence.
Additionally, the transition from the initial jump to the airborne sequence appears abrupt, indicating the use of jump cuts and speed manipulation to create the illusion of flight.
DUBAWA also found, on SynthID through Gemini AI, that banana leaves cannot generate a lift sufficient for human flight, rendering the claim scientifically implausible.
Conclusion
The video claiming to show a man flying with banana leaves is not authentic. Evidence from multiple AI-detection tools, combined with visual and scientific analysis, shows that the clip is manipulated and may be intended for entertainment. The claim is therefore false.
