Mount Everest's new Sherpas? Drones will now do the heavy lifting

For the first time, drones will be used on Mount Everest to carry gear and clean up, helping Sherpas and improving safety

A new chapter in Mount Everest expeditions is about to begin. For the first time, drones will be deployed to transport supplies, carry equipment, and remove waste along some of the mountain’s most challenging routes. This technology aims to ease the workload of Nepali Sherpas, who have long shouldered heavy loads through hazardous terrain, and improve safety for those working and climbing at high altitudes, reported The New York Times.

 

When the main climbing season starts next month, expedition companies will begin testing drones that can carry up to 35 pounds, airlifting essential gear like oxygen bottles, retrieving ladders used for route setting, and bringing down waste left behind by climbers. These drones can complete in 15 minutes what typically takes Sherpas seven hours on foot between Mt Everest’s base camp and Camp-I.

 

 

By reducing the need for repeated, risky crossings through the Khumbu Icefall — a treacherous section southwest of Everest’s summit — operators hope to lower the chances of fatal accidents, which have increased in recent years as climate change accelerates snowmelt and ice instability.

 

“Sherpas bear enormous risks. The drone makes their task safer, faster and more efficient,” said Tshering Sherpa, whose organisation, the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, manages the route through the Khumbu Icefall.

 

For about a year, Nepalese drone startup AirLift has been testing two drones donated by Chinese manufacturer DJI. The upcoming pilot test is seen as a key step toward encouraging more expedition agencies to adopt the technology, which could eventually help with both safety and cost efficiency.

 

Among those set to benefit are the ‘icefall doctors’ — highly skilled Sherpas who install ladders and ropes across deep crevasses before each climbing season, making the route safer for others. They often carry heavy equipment and supplies while making this dangerous journey up to 40 times per season, according to expedition organisers.

 

As the icefall doctors arrived at Everest base camp this month, they looked forward to working with the drone pilots, who were in Kathmandu finalising flight clearances. “They are calling us to team up early,” said Milan Pandey, a drone pilot with AirLift.

 

The push to use drones began after a 2023 tragedy in which three Sherpas were killed in an avalanche while fixing ropes for climbers. Their bodies could not be recovered without risking further collapse. Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, managing director of Imagine Nepal, led the expedition and started looking for ways to improve safety.

 

His search took him to Muztagh Ata, a 24,757-foot peak in China, where drones were being used by Chinese teams to deliver climbing gear and hot meals to high camps. “The Chinese cooked food at base camp and sent it to Camp-II of Muztagh Ata, where climbers could eat hot food,” he said. “I thought, why not use drones on Everest’s south side, especially the Khumbu Icefall section?”

 

At his request, DJI tested two FlyCart 30 drones in Nepal in the spring of 2024. These drones, designed for high-altitude deliveries, were handed over to AirLift for further testing in the challenging Everest environment.

 

During successful trials, the drones flew three oxygen bottles and 1.5 kg of supplies from Everest Base Camp to Camp I (5,300–6,000 meters above sea level), and carried trash back down. “From the end of April, our team embarked on a groundbreaking endeavor to help make cleanup efforts on Everest safer and more efficient,” said Christina Zhang, Senior Corporate Strategy Director at DJI. “We are thrilled to share that our DJI FlyCart 30 was up to the task.” 

The extreme conditions required careful planning. DJI engineers accounted for temperatures between -15°C and 5°C, wind speeds of up to 15 m/s, and the high-altitude environment above 6,000 meters. Tests included hover, wind resistance, cold-weather, and heavy-load trials—all of which the drones passed.

 

Sherpas traditionally have been responsible for carrying all supplies — oxygen, gas canisters, tents, food, ropes — and also bringing down trash left by climbers. “We need to spend 6–8 hours each day walking through this icefall,” said Mingma Sherpa. “Last year I lost three Sherpas. If we’re not lucky, if our time is not right, we lose our life there.”

 

Drones can make the same trip in just 12 minutes, any time of day, while carrying up to 15 kg (33 pounds) unmodified. This could significantly reduce the number of trips Sherpas must make, lowering their exposure to danger.

 

The environmental benefits are also significant. Each climber is estimated to leave about 8 kg of trash on Everest, and large amounts of waste remain despite cleanup efforts. Drones offer a practical solution, especially after a successful test on Mt Ama Dablam, where 1,300 pounds of waste were removed. Drone pilot Dawa Jangbu Sherpa highlighted the time savings: “It takes six hours if you follow the normal route to reach Camp-I,” he said. “But the drone served food in six minutes.”

 

However, cost remains a concern. Once customs duties, batteries, and equipment are factored in, a DJI drone can exceed $70,000—a steep investment in a country like Nepal. AirLift is exploring local assembly to cut costs by more than half, which could make widespread use more feasible.

 

Encouraged by the trial’s success, the Nepalese government has contracted a local drone service company to begin drone delivery operations on Everest’s southern slope starting May 22. The climbing season, limited to April and May due to weather, will see more drone activity this year as companies look to scale up operations.

 

Globally, DJI’s FlyCart 30 is being used in diverse environments — from planting trees on steep slopes to aiding rescues in Norway, solar installations in Mexico, and research in Antarctica. Its deployment on Everest could be a turning point for safer, more sustainable mountaineering.