Drones Ascend Everest: Airlift Initiates Supply Operations for High-Altitude Camps. The Nepali drone company Airlift is leveraging DJI technology to transport oxygen, survey routes, and manage waste, thereby enhancing the safety of Everest expeditions for both sherpas and climbers. Following successful testing last year, Airlift is set to commence the delivery of essential supplies to Everest camps, transforming the perilous local transport sector and contributing to the safety of the world’s highest peak. Utilizing DJI FlyCart drones, Airlift will not only deliver vital supplies but also assist local sherpas in route scouting while simultaneously addressing the issue of litter on Everest by transporting waste back down. Last year, DRONELIFE reported on the trials that validated the feasibility of these drone operations. During the tests, three oxygen bottles and 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) of additional supplies were successfully transported from Everest Base Camp, situated at an impressive 17,000 feet, to Camp 1, which is nearly 20,000 feet high. On the return journey, the drone collected trash. The two camps are divided by the treacherous Khumbu Icefalls, one of the most hazardous sections of the ascent, complicating the transport of supplies between them.
While helicopters could theoretically perform similar deliveries, such operations are prohibitively expensive and environmentally damaging, not to mention the risks associated with flying in such extreme cold and low-oxygen conditions. Traditionally, this challenging task has fallen to sherpas, who must carry supplies through this often dangerous terrain. Now, Airlift aims to support these local guides with drone technology. Milan Pandey, the pilot operating the DJI drones for this initiative, conducts flights from Everest Base Camp further up the mountain. Sherpas communicate their required directions to Pandey, who first sends a small drone to scout the trail. Although sherpas will still need to transport the majority of supplies and navigate the terrain using their expertise, drones can significantly facilitate the passage through the Khumbu Icefalls. Once they find out ‘here we need a ladder,’ ‘here we need a rope,’ they will send us the coordinates via walkie-talkie and then we fly the equipment there,” Pandey explained. The drones are also able to fly in life-saving equipment like oxygen cylinders and medicines.
