Quick Links
During your travels through the Burning Shores inHorizon Forbidden West, you’ll occasionally pick up a transmission on your Focus. By tracking the signal from the air, you can find the ancient recordings of a soldier who fought as part of Enduring Victory in a last stand against the machines.
Related:Horizon Forbidden West: How To Get The Quen Deadeye Armor
These Aerial Captures make full use of Aloy’s ability to ride flying machines, and provide a great view of the ruins from above. Like the Viewpoints back in the Forbidden West, they also give you a glimpse into the world of the Old Ones - in this case, their final days.
This guide contains spoilers.
Northwest
Northwest of Fleet’s End is an island with the ruins of a pop culture collectibles shop, Fandom Zone. Fly around to the southeastern side of the building on your Sunwing and use the machine’s ability todestroy the metal clampin the wall. Behind it is a transmitter; inspect it, thenmount your Sunwing and fly to the start pointnearby.
Flying from the transmitter’s location, theflight path will appear behind you. It’s best to fly past the start point and approach from the far side.
Follow the flight path through the Widemaw and Glinthawk lairs; don’t bother trying to fight,just speed straight throughto avoid losing the signal. The path will take you further northwest, to the entrance of Heaven’s Rest beneath the Hollywood sign.
West
The westernmost island in the Burning Shores is wracked by a constant thunderstorm If you land or fly over the island’s surface for too long, you’lltake heavy damage from lightning strikes.
Fly to the western side of the island andactivate your Focusto look for a Stormbird’s flight path. Highlight the trail and follow it in a spiraling ascent into the storm clouds.
When you enter the clouds, the Stormbird will periodically attack. After two near misses, it willkill your Sunwingon the third strike, forcing you to the ground and following to finish you off.
Kill the Stormbird to disperse the clouds, then loot it for parts. Remembers, Stormbirds areweak against Acid damageand become much weaker if you candestroy the cannon on their chests.
There’s a campfire on the eastern shore of the island, and you can find asafe full of valuablesin the shallow water just off the beach. Collect the goods, save at the campfire, thenuse your Focusto find the transmitter to the southwest. It’s inside a small building with an unlocked door. Examine it, loot the safe in the corner of the room, and leave.
Since your Sunwing is dead, you’ll need a new flying mount. There are Sunwings atop the cliff at the center of the large island west of Fleet’s End, and a handful of other sites scattered throughout the Burning Shores. Alternately, if you don’t mind a few loading screens, you can justfast travel back to the Forbidden Westand override one from the nest near the Base.
If you avoid the island until you unlock the ability to override Waterwings, you’ll have many more options for replacing your mount.
When you get a new mount,return to the islandto follow the transmitter’s flight path. You’ll get a much better view of the destroyed seaside park from up here with no clouds and rain getting in the way!
North
Go to the middle of the northern edge of the map,almost directly north of the western Lancehorn Site.If you’ve completedThe Stars In Their Eyes, there will be a Devotee Camp nearby, so watch out for armored enemies!
Climb to the top of the cliff andscan for the transmitter’s signal.Be sure to read the scroll next to it andcollect the chest above, since there isn’t much reason to come back here after completing the Aerial Capture.
When you have everything,fly to the starting point.The flight path follows the westward road below; if there are still Devotees on the ground, theymay fire on you as you pass.
About two-thirds of the way to Heaven’s Rest, the route takes asharp turn to the southeast.A flock of Sunwings may attack as you fly through their territory; just keep flying so as not to lose the signal!
The flight path ends at the ruins of Capital Records - as it happens, the Devotees have another camp at the base of the building. You can eliminate this camp after getting the Aerial Capture if you haven’t already.
Related:Horizon Forbidden West: Murmuring Hollow Relic Ruin Walkthrough
Northeast
The northeasternmost island before reaching the mainland is home to aRollerback Site.There’s a Shelter on the northwest shore; go there, activate your Focus, andlook for the signal coming from the hill just inland from the beach.
Climb or fly into the ruin on the hill; inside are two chests (one of which is in a corner that you’ll need to crouch in order to enter) and the transmitter. Inspect it, then take to the air.
Fly to the center of the island,over the Rollerback Site, to start the recording. The flight path takes a meandering route to the northeast, over the lava flow and the ruined mansions of Hollywood. You’ll end upon the mainland, slightly north of the islandwhen you get the capture.
East
Fast Travel to the campfirenext to the hidden entrance toCauldron THETA, by the lava. Walk west along the path andturn leftimmediately after passing the first building on your right. The transmitter will be on the edge of the cliff, in another ruin.
The starting point for this flight path isn’t actually anywhere near the transmitter; you’ll need tofly south to the edge of Pangea Parkto start the recording. This means youcan’t collect this Aerial Capture until you’ve completedFor His Amusementas part of the main storyline since you’ll just get shot down.
The flight path takes you on a tour of Pangea Park; if you’ve completed thePangea Figurinesside quest, it’s especially impressive thanks to the holographic fireworks over the central plaza!
South
This Aerial Capture isnear Fleet’s End, butwon’t appear until you have the other five.There’s no hunting required for this one, as it will simplyappear on the mapafter Aloy notices a final signal.
Go to the southern shore of the large central island, near the lagoon running up the center. The nearby campfire makes it a snap to Fast Travel here. There’s acrashed helicopter on the beachright next to the campfire; the start point for the flight path isdirectly above the wreck, and you don’t need to search for a transmitter in order to activate it.
This flight path is almost a straight shot north, through the ruins of downtown LA. At the northern shore, you’ll see the final Aerial Capture and receive a Trophy, the Sea Star dye pattern, and the Specter Mandible face paint design!
Aloy might say that there is another signal after this one, but that’s a bug - the South Aerial Capture completes the quest.
