AALTO commences Kenya-based operations of Zephyr HAPS

The Zephyr HAPS has now begun flight operations out of AALTO's recently established ‘AALTOPORT' in Kenya. (AALTO)

Airbus Defence and Space (DS) subsidiary company AALTO has begun flight operations of the Zephyr high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) out of its newly established ‘AALTOPORT' in Kenya.

The Farnborough-based company announced the milestone on 21 January, two days after online flight tracker services recorded the first flight on 19 January and six months after the then CEO of AALTO, Samer Halawi, told Janes in July 2024 that the company planned to open up Kenya as its first new operating location (Halawi was succeeded by Hughes Boulnois in October 2024).

“This weekend, from its first launch and landing facility in Kenya, AALTO completed the first successful launch of Zephyr in 2025. After climbing to 60,000 ft, our solar-powered Zephyr has now been flying continuously over Kenya for over 48 hours. It remains the only fixed-wing HAPS to demonstrate day- and night-time operations in the stratosphere,” AALTO said, adding, “The establishment of an AALTOPORT in Kenya is unprecedented in the HAPS industry. Thanks to a pioneering regulatory landscape, a purpose-built Zephyr facility has been developed in Laikipia County in 2024. Through their support, national authorities led by the Kenya Space Agency and Kenya Civil Aviation Authority have demonstrated their vision to champion cutting-edge aerospace technologies. Together with our partners, we have Taken Kenya Stratospheric.”