William Onion (33) had been living in Bournemouth with his partner and ran his own firm, which he said brought people together “through social group hikes, bootcamp fitness classes and personal training”.
An experienced hiker, he had taken his drone up Crib Goch in Eryri with five fellow walkers last winter, but when the device landed he went down a slope to get it.
Kate Robertson, senior coroner for north west Wales, has concluded that the death on November 11 last year was thus accidental.
Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers carried out a post-mortem examination and said he had multiple injuries which the coroner said were the cause of death.
Concluding that the death was accidental, the coroner said: “He was doing something that he loved in an area that he loved.”
William had taken his drone out that misty morning, but one of the other hikers told his inquest that they had then seen it drop down the other side of the mountain.
Witnesses said William had gone after it, but the terrain was extremely steep.
He went out of sight and one of the group members rang 999 at about 11am.
Emergency services, including police, an air ambulance team and mountain rescue volunteers, were called to the north face of Crib Goch. The casualty had fallen about 50 metres and was found lying at the bottom of the slope.
Crib Goch forms the northern half of the Snowdon Horseshoe, which continues on past the summit and over Y Lliwedd.
The inquest also heard that William had been in the army, serving in Afghanistan and the Falkland Islands. He spent seven years serving in the Royal Signals.
William Onion, (33) had served on tours in Afghanistan and the Falkland Islands (Image credit: Alistair Onion)
Shortly before his death he had been on a recce to Mount Everest and had bookings for a trip there in March this year.
Throughout his life, William helped raise funds for various charities.
Following his death, his father Alastair Onion, who lives in the Muckamore area, took to social media to pay tribute to his son.
“I have no words to convey how devastated we are,” he said. “William fell from Snowdon mountain, he was doing what he loved, he was with friends, that much we are thankful for.
“He passed at 11am on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, a soldier through and through, a son that no man could of been prouder of.
“He was happy, loved and someone that whoever met him, thought the world of him. William we will miss you always.”