High above the clouds, where silence clings to the glacier-carved face of the world’s tallest mountain, a new sound pierces the stillness—a soft whirring, followed by the surreal sight of a ladder descending from the sky. This isn’t science fiction. It’s the reality unfolding at Everest Base Camp, where technology and tradition are converging in extraordinary ways.
A New Era on the Roof of the World
Milan Pandey, drone pilot for Airlift Technology, sits at Base Camp without ever donning an ice axe or crampons. His contribution? Delivering vital supplies—oxygen tanks, ropes, ladders—via drone to one of the most dangerous passages on Mount Everest: the Khumbu Icefall.
Traditionally, Sherpas, the mountain’s lifeblood and guides for generations, spend hours navigating this treacherous stretch between Base Camp (5,364 meters) and Camp One (6,065 meters). It’s a journey that can take up to seven hours. Drones now complete it in under seven minutes.
For the Sherpas, this technological leap could mean fewer trips through hazardous terrain, and fewer lives lost in pursuit of preparation.
From Tragedy to Innovation
The idea took hold after a tragic avalanche in 2023 claimed the lives of three Sherpas. Mingma G Sherpa of Imagine Nepal saw the toll firsthand and began looking into how drone tech, already in use on other peaks in China, could make a difference here.
Meanwhile, Airlift Nepal’s CEO Raj Bikram was already working with the Khumbu municipality on 3D drone mapping. When local leaders asked if drones could carry weight, Bikram had his answer.
By April 2024, with two drones donated by DJI and the support of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, the first drone deliveries were tested.
Airlift Technology Pvt. Ltd.
First Flights and Lessons Learned
Operating drones at high altitude is no small feat. Wind gusts, freezing temperatures, and unpredictable visibility make Everest an extreme test environment.
Airlift’s initial mission: remove more than 1,100 pounds of debris from Camp One. It took over 40 drone flights to complete. While capable of carrying 66 pounds, the team limits payloads to 44 pounds to account for flight safety.
For the 2025 climbing season, drones are already being used to deliver equipment ahead of time and are scheduled to retrieve waste during and after expeditions.
Pandey and his team work hand-in-hand with the Sherpas: small scouting drones map the route, while Sherpas climb the glacier and relay coordinates. Then, drones swoop in with whatever gear is needed—sometimes including life-saving oxygen or medications.
High Costs and Higher Stakes
Currently, Airlift operates only one drone on Everest, with a backup on standby. Each costs around $70,000. Then there are the logistics—fuel for battery charging, transport costs, food, shelter, and manpower. Everest is expensive. Every item comes with altitude markup.
Yet, the investment goes beyond money. For Bikram, an aeronautical engineer who built one of Nepal’s first DIY drones over a decade ago, the mission is personal. Drones played a critical role in relief efforts during Nepal’s 2015 earthquake. Today, they serve a new purpose: search, rescue, and safe transport in the world’s most unforgiving terrain.
Redefining the Role of the Sherpa
As more Sherpas seek opportunities abroad, drawn by stability and pay, there’s growing concern for the future of this historic profession.
Pandey hopes drones will change that.
“If we can make this a safer job, we can keep the tradition alive,” he says. “Without the Sherpas, no one would make it up this mountain.”
Voices From the Icefall
Dawa Janzu Sherpa, 28, is a veteran frontman among the “icefall doctors”—the Sherpas responsible for fixing routes through shifting ice towers and crevasses. He’s felt the shift firsthand.
“There’s more dry ice this year, and more ice towers,” he says. “It’s riskier. The drones help us focus on the trail. We don’t have to hike back down just to fetch a ladder.”
As the sole provider for his family, safety matters. “If there’s a way to make this job less deadly, I’m all for it.”
The Future of Climbing
The 2025 climbing season has officially begun. In Everest’s tight weather window—mostly April and May—every minute matters.
“Drones are just part of the evolution,” says Caroline Ogle of Adventure Consultants, who’s managed expeditions on Everest for five seasons. “First we had radios, then satellite phones, and now real-time weather forecasting. Drones are the next natural step.”
Lisa Thompson, who’s summited the highest peaks on all seven continents, agrees.
“The mountain hasn’t changed. The challenge hasn’t changed,” she says. “But how we protect people who climb it—that should change.”
Conclusion
From silent summits to the beating heart of Base Camp, drones are no longer just futuristic gadgets—they’re reshaping Everest in real time. Fewer lives at risk. Less waste left behind. Faster climbs. For climbers and Sherpas alike, the mountain remains majestic—but perhaps just a bit more manageable.
Content Source:
The original reporting by Esha Mitra for CNN was published on April 21, 2025.
Adapted and reformatted for web publication.
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