AALTO (Airbus Zephyr)

AALTO is the Airbus Defence and Space subsidiary that develops and operates Zephyr, a solar powered unmanned aircraft that flies in the stratosphere for weeks at a time. Based in Farnborough in the United Kingdom, AALTO was set up in 2022 to turn Zephyr into a commercial service, offering connectivity and Earth observation from the stratosphere to commercial and government customers.

Zephyr

• Solar powered, with high efficiency solar arrays and batteries for night flight
• Weighs less than 75 kg including payload, with a wingspan comparable to a business jet
• Flies above 60,000 ft in the stratosphere
• Holds the record for the longest continuous flight: 67 days, 6 hours and 52 minutes, from 20 February to 28 April 2025

Services

• Connectivity from the stratosphere
• Earth observation

History

The Zephyr concept was started in 2001 by Chris Kelleher. Airbus Defence and Space acquired the programme from QinetiQ in 2013. Zephyr set an official endurance record of more than 14 days in 2010, the UK Ministry of Defence became the first customer in 2016, and a production facility, the Kelleher Building, opened in Farnborough in 2018. HAPS Japan Corporation became a shareholder in 2024.

Company facts

• AALTO established in 2022
• Owner: Airbus Defence and Space, with HAPS Japan Corporation as shareholder
• Headquarters and final assembly line: Farnborough, UK
• Flight operations base: AALTOPORT Kenya, Laikipia County, opened September 2024
• Initial commercial service targeted in Japan