Perched atop the globe, surrounded by untouched white ice sheets and massive cliffs, tranquility prevails. It is abruptly shattered when a ladder plummets from the heavens.
Milan Pandey is once again seated at Everest Base Camp, gazing at vistas that very few people have witnessed — and he reached this spot without needing to put on crampons or use an ice axe. As a drone operator, his efforts could alter conditions atop the planet’s tallest peak permanently.
The drones piloted by Pandey have the potential to carry ladders, ropes, and oxygen tanks up the mountain, which could assist the Sherpas or “icefall doctors” working in the treacherous Khumbu Icefall, a glacier situated between Base Camp and Camp One, thereby enhancing safety for those climbing the peak.
Specialist Sherpas
People hailing from the surrounding hills and mountains have been guiding and establishing routes for climbers on Mount Everest for seventy years. Many have tragically perished during this endeavor. Pandey, who represents Airlift Technology—a regional startup specializing in drone mapping—thinks that by leveraging his company’s technological skills alongside the Sherpas’ extensive experience in mountain climbing, they can significantly enhance safety at the world’s highest peak.
The Base Camp sits at an elevation of approximately 5,364 meters (17,598 ft) above sea level, whereas Camp One is situated at around 6,065 meters (19,900 ft).
The distance covered through the air between these two points is approximately 1.8 miles. Sherpas require six to seven hours to complete this trek, whereas a drone accomplishes the same trip in around six to seven minutes.
Mingma G Sherpa from Imagine Nepal, an expedition firm with almost ten years of experience assisting climbers, identified the necessity for such support after losing three of his colleagues and mountaineering guides in an avalanche in 2023; their remains were unfortunately unrecoverable.
“They needed to repeatedly ascend and descend the mountain twenty times to initially determine the path and subsequently retrieve the equipment. I was informed that they employ drones in China for such tasks on another peak, leading me to wonder why it couldn’t be done here,” he mentioned.
At around the same time, Raj Bikram, who leads Airlift Nepal, was communicating with the Khumbu municipal government regarding the use of drones for 3D mapping of Mount Everest. During this conversation, the area’s mayor inquired about the payload capacity of these drones. Then, in April 2024, utilizing two drones provided by China-based DJI and collaborating with the Sagarmatha (which is what Nepalese people call Everest) Pollution Control Committee, Airlift started conducting experiments.
“At first, since this was our maiden voyage to the Everest Base Camp, we weren’t certain about how the drone would function under those specific conditions of high altitude and low temperatures,” Bikram explained. Poor visibility and strong winds posed significant obstacles. They spent an entire month familiarizing themselves with the landscape.
Nepal’s inaugural cleanup initiative employed a drone to transport roughly 1,100 pounds of garbage from Camp One to Base Camp.
It involved over 40 flights: The drone has the capacity to hold around 66 pounds, yet they typically move just 44 pounds per trip to ensure safety.
For the 2025 Everest climbing season, Pandey indicates that Airlift Technology will assist Sherpas in transporting gear prior to the start of the season, followed by collecting debris once it commences.
The Sherpas inform Pandey about the direction they should follow, after which Pandey launches a tiny drone ahead for navigation purposes. Following this, the Sherpas proceed as they have always done—climbing across treacherous ice formations or tackling those sections of the glacier that present the most challenging routes.
“Pandey elaborated that once they determine ‘we require a ladder here’ and ‘a rope is needed over there,’ they will relay the coordinates through walkie-talkies, after which the drones can transport the gear accordingly,” he said. Additionally, these unmanned aerial vehicles can deliver essential items such as oxygen tanks and medications for rescue operations.
Scaling up
Currently, Airlift possesses two DJI drones; however, only one is operational over Everest this year. The second unit serves as a spare. If additional drone missions become necessary, they plan to deploy both devices.
A key hurdle is financial. Each drone comes with a price tag of $70,000, not including operational expenses.
“Everything comes with a high price tag at Base Camp,” Bikram mentioned.
“Since there’s no power supply, we require substantial fuel for charging batteries. The expense of reaching the campsite, including labor costs, lodging, meals—it all adds up.”
For Bikram, who is an aeronautical engineer, drones have consistently sparked his interest. Over ten years ago in Nepal, he created a “Do-It-Yourself Drone” when these devices were scarcely present in the nation. This turned out to be crucial for supporting relief operations during various incidents.
the 2015 Nepal earthquake
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“It’s more than just supplying gear; search and rescue is a top priority for us. If individuals stray from the path, we have the capability to assist in pinpointing their location,” Pandey stated additionally.
A number of individuals within the Sherpa community are choosing to step back from their work in the dangerous high-altitude mountains, opting instead to seek out better employment opportunities and higher wages overseas.
We hope that these drones will make this occupation significantly safer and encourage more individuals to engage in this climbing legacy,” Pandey stated. “It represents one of the key aspects of our nation. The knowledge and skills of the Sherpas are indispensable when it comes to traversing such challenging landscapes.
Behind the frontman
A 28-year-old named Dawa Janzu Sherpa has served as a “point person” on Mount Everest for the icefall doctors’ team over the past eight years. While this group of Sherpas follows guidance from their experienced leader—who specializes in navigation and determines the route—it is ultimately the strong and youthful frontman like Dawa who ventures into the treacherous icefall first.
This season, we’re dealing with a significant amount of dry ice, making trail repairs extremely challenging, and there are numerous ice formations obstructing the way,” he explained. Although drones can currently assess a potential route beforehand, adverse weather conditions mean that situations keep evolving.
Janzu Sherpa indicates that this task carries significant risks, and considering how difficult it can be to find jobs, his motivation stems more from needing the income rather than having a strong interest in the work itself. However, drones have cut both the required time and risk involved by fifty percent.
Our task has a strict deadline. We must repair the paths promptly; otherwise, future journeys will face delays. Therefore, using drones to transport gear ensures we won’t need to descend again merely to fetch the ladder.
“Given the poor weather conditions we’ve experienced this year, we wouldn’t have been able to repair the trail promptly without that assistance,” he noted.
Janzu Sherpa is the only source of income for his wife and two daughters. “It’s an exciting but risky profession, so if we can find ways to improve safety measures, I am all for it.”
The initial team of climbers has arrived at Base Camp for the 2025 climbing season. Given the limited timeframe, most participants will aim to make their climbs in April and May.
Caroline Ogle from New Zealand’s Adventure Consultants states that drone usage “marks an evolutionary step in climbing.” She has overseen expeditions for multiple seasons from what she calls the “Everest ampitheater” at Base Camp.
“If you look at the earlier days…when there weren’t satellite phones or the level of weather prediction tools we possess today, all these technological advancements have improved safety in climbing. The utilization of drones fits into this natural progression, especially as they contribute to enhancing security for high-altitude workers like Sherpas,” explained Ogle.
Lisa Thompson, who has conquered the Seven Summits—the tallest peaks on each of the seven continents—and currently coaches climbers via her U.S.-based company Alpine Athletics, supports Ogle’s view and considers drones as a “beneficial and ethical advancement.”
I don’t think this new development detracts from the art or heritage of climbing. The mountain remains the same mountain. The difficulty is as real as ever.
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