At Everest Base Camp, 5,364 meters above sea level, technology is reshaping tradition. Drones are now being used to transport ropes, ladders, and oxygen cylinders across the dangerous Khumbu Icefall — a deadly stretch that Sherpa climbers have navigated for decades to fix climbing routes for expeditions on the world’s tallest mountain, as per a CNN Travel report.
Nepal-based start-up Airlift Technology has introduced drone assistance to support the “icefall doctors,” the specialist Sherpas who open and maintain the climbing route from Base Camp to Camp One, located at 6,065 meters. This route, though only 1.8 miles long, takes experienced Sherpas nearly seven hours to traverse. A drone can cover it in under seven minutes, the Economic Times reported citing CNN.
Milan Pandey, a drone pilot with Airlift, told CNN that the initiative was born out of a collaboration with local authorities and mountaineering groups. “The Sherpas tell us where equipment is needed and send us coordinates. We fly the material there. It saves time and reduces the number of trips they need to make through dangerous terrain,” he said.
The ladders, ropes and oxygen cylinders that Pandey can transport via drone to aid the Sherpas or “icefall doctors” at Khumbu Icefall, a glacier located between Base Camp and Camp One, could likely save lives on the mountain, CNN reported.
According to CNN, Airlift began experimenting the use of drones in April 2024 in collaboration with the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee with the help of two drones donated by China’s DJI.
Mingma G Sherpa, founder of the expedition company Imagine Nepal, said the drone technology addresses a long-standing safety issue. “I lost three friends in an avalanche in 2023. We were looking for ways to make the work safer. I had seen drones used elsewhere and thought it could work here,” he told CNN.
Drones also support clean-up efforts. Airlift Technology used them to remove 1,100 pounds of waste from Camp One in a recent operation.
That took more than 40 flights: The drone can carry about 66 pounds of weight, but they only transport about 44 pounds at a time to be safe, CNN further reported.
The use of drones comes at a time when Everest climbing faces multiple challenges. Everest expeditions became more expensive in 2024 due to rising permit fees and environmental regulations. At the same time, the number of climbers continues to rise each year, increasing the workload on Sherpa guides who often make multiple trips before climbers begin their ascent.
According to the state-owned national news agency of Nepal, RSS, the Department of Tourism has issued permits to 374 individuals representing 37 climbing groups for climbing Mount Everest so far this season. The government has collected Rs 640 million in royalties from expeditions across various mountains, with Rs 550 million generated from Everest alone, RSS added. (With inputs from CNN, Economic Times and RSS)
