An object is said to be in a state of free fall when
When the only force acting on it is the weight of the object.
Initial velocity can be a zero or a non-zero value.
Freefall is any motion of a body where its weight is the only force acting upon it. A body in free fall experiences an acceleration equal to 'g'. Thus, falling through an atmosphere without a deployed parachute or falling of ball from the top of the building is also often referred to as free fall. The initial velocity can be zero when it is dropped from a height and non-zero when thrown upward.