Heavy-duty drones have been deployed on Mount Everest to tackle the growing garbage crisis that has turned the world’s highest peak into the “highest dumpster in the world,” with tonnes of trash threatening both the environment and climbers’ safety.
A team of drone operators joined climbers and guides at Everest Base Camp this season, introducing a new solution to one of the mountain’s longest-standing problems: waste disposal. Two DJI FC 30 heavy-lifter drones were flown up to Camp 1, located at 6,065 metres (19,900 feet), where they successfully airlifted 300 kilograms of trash down to safer zones during the spring climbing season.
Previously, only helicopters or manpower were available to haul waste down — both costly and dangerous. “As a solution for this problem, we came up with a concept of using our heavy-lift drone to carry garbage,” explained Raj Bikram Maharjan of Airlift Technology, the Nepal-based company behind the initiative.
Following a pilot test on Everest last year, the company expanded operations to nearby Mount Ama Dablam, where 641 kilograms of trash were removed. Local authorities hailed the project as a “revolutionary drive” to keep the mountains cleaner and safer.
The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee highlighted the efficiency of drones, noting that in just ten minutes a drone can transport as much garbage as ten porters would carry in six hours. Beyond waste removal, drones have also been used to deliver oxygen cylinders, ladders, and ropes, reducing hazardous trips across the Khumbu Icefall — one of the deadliest sections of Everest.
Renowned climber Nima Rinji Sherpa praised the technology, saying it saves time and energy for route-fixing teams who establish climbing paths early in the season. The drones, costing around $20,000 each, were supplied by the manufacturer to support cleanup efforts, while local authorities helped cover operational costs.
Airlift Technology now plans to extend drone deployments to Mount Manaslu, the world’s eighth-highest mountain. “It’s not just in war that drones are useful,” Maharjan said. “They can save lives and protect the environment. For climate and humanitarian work, this technology is going to be a game changer.”
