In a groundbreaking collaboration, DJI has joined forces with Nepalese drone service company Airlift, video production company 8KRAW, and certified mountain guide Mingma Gyalje Sherpa to achieve the world’s first successful DJI drone delivery trials on Mount Everest (Mount Qomolangma).
A Historic Achievement in Aviation
The historic feat, completed in April, underscores the extraordinary capabilities of the DJI FlyCart 30, which can transport 15kg payloads even in the formidable altitude and harsh conditions of Mount Everest. During these trials, three oxygen bottles and 1.5kg of other supplies were efficiently flown from Everest Base Camp to Camp 1 at an elevation between 5,300 and 6,000 meters above sea level. On the return journey, the drone carried trash back down, marking a significant milestone in aviation history.
For the first time, drones have successfully transported equipment and trash between Everest Base Camp and Camp 1, navigating the Khumbu Icefall, one of the climb’s most treacherous segments. Although helicopters can technically make this trip, they are seldom used due to the severe risks and high costs involved.
Before initiating the delivery flights, DJI engineers meticulously evaluated Everest’s harsh conditions, such as temperatures ranging from -15° to 5°C, wind speeds up to 15 m/s, and altitudes exceeding 6,000 meters above sea level. Intensive tests of the DJI FlyCart 30 were carried out, including hover tests without payload, wind resistance trials, low-temperature evaluations, and weight capacity tests with progressively heavier loads, all of which were successfully completed.
Everest Waste Removal
On Everest, each climber is said to leave 8 kg of rubbish behind, and tonnes of waste are thought to stay on the slopes even after cleanup operations. DJI is ready to assist if DJI drone delivery helps lighten this load on cleaning workers. DJI FlyCart 30 can effectively move human and rubbish waste down the mountain, reducing the number of times Sherpas must trek across the Khumbu Icefall.
Revolutionising Drone Delivery
Supplies like oxygen bottles, gas canisters, tents, food, and ropes have traditionally been transported on Everest by local Sherpa guides, who may have to traverse the icefall more than thirty times in a season.
“We need to spend 6-8 hours each day walking through this icefall,” said Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, Imagine Nepal mountain guide. “Last year I lost three Sherpas. If we’re not lucky, if our time is not right, we lose our life there.“
Usually, the Khumbu Icefall is climbed at night when the ice is most stable and the temperatures are lowest. Day or night, an unmodified drone can travel fifteen kilogrammes between camps in twelve minutes. DJI delivery drones make Sherpas bear less of a load.
“The ability to safely transport equipment, supplies, and waste by drone has the potential to revolutionize Everest mountaineering logistics, facilitate trash cleanup efforts, and improve safety for all involved,” said Christina Zhang, Senior Corporate Strategy Director at DJI.
Everest climbing season is limited to April and May, and bad weather prevents additional operations and drone testing for the remainder of the year. However, following recent promising tests, the Nepalese government hired a nearby drone service provider to start drone delivery operations on the southern side of Everest on May 22.
High-altitude delivery drone deployment promises to improve efficiency and safety in these demanding conditions and emphasizes the value of sustainable practices and environmental preservation in the climbing sector.
