Accident AALTO HAPS Zephyr 8B 5Y-0980A, Monday 28 April 2025

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Date:	Monday 28 April 2025
Time:	11:02
Type:	AALTO HAPS Zephyr 8B
Owner/operator:	AALTO HPA (K) Limited
Registration:	5Y-0980A
MSN:	06
Year of manufacture:	2019
Total airframe hrs:	1614 hours
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	430 nm NW of Seychelles - Indian Ocean
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	Solio Ranch Airstrip
Destination airport:	Minami Daito Island
Investigating agency:	AAID Kenya
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
An unmanned AALTO HAPS Zephyr 8 crashed in the Indian Ocean 430 NM northwest of the Republic of Seychelles
The aircraft had been launched from Solio Ranch airstrip in Nyeri County, Kenya on 20 February 2025 on a flight plan to Minami Daito Island in Japan.
However, due to a technical issue with one of the UA’s batteries, the mission was aborted and the UAS was flying back to Kenya to enable the operator to investigate the fault.
On 28 April 2025, while operating in an area to the NNW of the Republic of Seychelles, waiting for suitable weather to land at Solio airstrip, communication was lost with the aircraft. Seychelles Air Traffic Control (ATC) was contacted shortly after and confirmed the aircraft had been seen to descend based on radar returns. There were no subsequent radar returns or telemetry data from the aircraft.
The aircraft was believed to have disintegrated in flight, with its wreckage subsequently having fallen into the ocean.

Accident investigation: