The Kathmandu Post revealed today that after a successful test in April, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the three authorities responsible for managing garbage on Everest. Drones will remove trash from the higher slopes of the world’s tallest mountain. This agreement applies to the Khumbu region, not just Mount Everest.
After successful testing in April, DJI long-distance heavy-lifting drones will start removing trash from neighboring Ama Dablam this fall, and then the efforts will continue on Everest during the spring 2025 climbing season, the local news service reported.
Reduction of Risk in the Khumbu Icefall
Until this agreement, local Sherpa guides carried trash from the upper slopes of Everest down to the base camp. Climbers and Sherpas on the normal route (from the south Nepalese side) must navigate the Khumbu Icefall, a constantly shifting river of ice just above basecamp that is notoriously dangerous.
The approximately 1km-long maze of ice blocks and hanging seracs is so threatening that the most experienced Sherpas and guides refuse to cross it during the day for fear that the sun’s heat will cause ice movement. Ascents through the icefall are usually done in the early morning when it’s the most stable.
The Sherpas tasked with trash removal may cross the Khumbu Icefall 30 times in a season to bring down oxygen bottles, gas canisters, food, ropes, and other debris climbing teams leave behind on quests to top Mount Everest.
On April 18, 2014, a falling serac triggered an avalanche that killed 16 Sherpa guides in the icefall, canceling the entire climbing season. According to the Himalayan Database, 50 people perished in the Khumbu Icefall between 1953 and 2023.
Famed mountaineer and alpinist Conrad Anker stated, “The Khumbu is probably the most dangerous single place in the climbing world. You can just sit at base camp during the day and watch avalanches roar down right over the climbing route. It scares everyone.”
Jagat Bhusal, chief administration officer of the rural municipality that hosts Everest, stated in the Kathmandu Post, “Using drones will help us avoid the dangers in the Khumbu Icefall.”
Drones Increase Efficiency
Climbing from base camp, through the Khumbu Icefall, to Camp I (19,900 feet) typically takes 6 hours, and continuing to Camp II (20,997-22,181 feet) takes 4 hours. By contrast, during the April test, the DJI FlyCart 30 long-distance heavy lifter drone moved 516 pounds per hour between Camp I and Everest Basecamp. It takes at least 14 porters 6 hours to do the same.
Government rules restricting loads at high altitudes add to the relative inefficiency of human porters. Between 16,404 and 19,685 feet, the limit per person is 44 pounds. From there to 22,966 feet, it is reduced to 38 pounds; then, to 26,247 feet, it is 31 pounds. Above this, the limit is 27 pounds.
There was some pushback from local Sherpas. “Yes, there are concerns that the machines may actually cut jobs. But our sole purpose is to reduce potential deaths in the Khumbu Icefall, the danger zone,” said Bhusal.
However, he also stated that Sherpas who cannot handle tasks at higher altitudes would be trained as drone operators. “In the future, all work will be done by Sherpas,” he stated.
The DJI Drone
The stats for the DJI FlyCart 30 are impressive.
The Chinese manufacturer claims the following:
- Max payload: 66 pounds
- Max flight distance without payload: 17 miles
- Max flight distance with full payload: 9.9 miles
- Max flight altitude: 19,685 feet
- Max video transmission distance: 12 miles
- Operating temperature range: -4 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit
- IP55 weather-resistant
DJI conducted the April tests on Everest, piloting the FlyCart 30 to 20,314 feet (beyond its published maximum altitude) and ferrying three bottles of oxygen and 3.3 pounds of other supplies to Camp I. The drone then carried garbage down on the return flight. The testing concluded that the drone could lift 66 pounds at Camp I but only about 40 pounds at Camp II.
How Big Is the Garbage Problem on Everest?
According to the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), a nongovernmental agency responsible for waste management in the area, Everest Basecamp alone generated 85.1 tons of waste, 8.8-9.9 tons of which came from the higher camps. In total, the SPCC collected 93.7 tons of waste this spring.
Nearly 60,000 people trek to Everest Basecamp yearly.
To help combat garbage accumulation, the SPCC enforces a “8kg garbage rule.” Every person who goes to Everest Basecamp must return with at least 18 pounds of garbage and pay a $4,000 deposit. This deposit is refunded upon return with at least this minimum amount of waste. According to the National Geographic Society, 18 pounds is the average amount of waste created by a single climber.
Unfortunately, with Everest guide fees hovering at or above $75,000, many can afford and choose to forfeit the deposit and leave trash.
When Drones Will Start Removing Trash From Mount Everest
This fall, DJI drones will start hauling garbage from Ama Dablam (22,349 feet, south of Everest). This will be the first time an unmanned aerial vehicle will perform commercial work in Nepal’s high ranges.
Then, during the March to May 2025 Everest climbing season, a swarm of drones will fill the air with trash and supplies.
