On Everest, drones are saving lives, not ‘stealing’ jobs

For 22-year-old guide Lakpa Ringi Sherpa, this spring climbing season on Mount Everest felt markedly different. While the inherent fear of the unpredictable Khumbu Icefall remained, the necessity for repeated, arduous journeys carrying heavy loads was significantly reduced. Instead of the usual eight to ten supply trips between Everest Base Camp and Camp II, Lakpa Ringi made only four, thanks to the introduction of drones.

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Every year, we are frightened to cross the icefall. Crevasses below, seracs above. We have to walk between unstable ice formations.

Traditionally, Sherpa guides faced perilous conditions, navigating crevasses and towering seracs, often making the six-to-seven-hour journey from base camp to Camp II without rest. "We never stop," Lakpa Ringi recalled. "The icefall section is too dangerous." This year, however, drones handled most of the supply transport to Camp I, completing tasks that once demanded hours of climbing and a team of guides in mere minutes. "Every time we carried loads through the icefall, we prayed," he said. "Now the drone does most of that work."

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We never stop. The icefall section is too dangerous.

This technological advancement is reshaping one of the world's most dangerous professions. Chinese drone manufacturer DJI conducted early trials in April 2024, demonstrating the capability of its FlyCart platform to transport oxygen cylinders and supplies uphill while carrying waste downhill. By 2025, drones moved beyond testing and began transporting supplies to Camp I, with commercial operations commencing this spring. Mountain officials and drone operators report that work previously taking six to seven hours can now be accomplished in about ten minutes, with a single drone flight potentially replacing the efforts of over a dozen guides.

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Now the drone does most of that work.

Mingma Chhiri Sherpa, chairman of the Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality, emphasized the broader impact: "This is a life-saving initiative." He highlighted the extreme danger even for normal hikers in the Khumbu Icefall, noting that carrying heavy equipment amplifies the risk. "Technology can reduce that burden and save lives," he stated. The Khumbu Icefall, a roughly 600-meter stretch between Base Camp and Camp I, is a constantly shifting glacier widely considered the most dangerous part of the standard South Col route to Everest.

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This is a life-saving initiative. There is a huge risk even for a normal hike in the Khumbu Icefall. Imagine how dangerous it is when people are carrying heavy equipment and supplies. Technology can reduce that burden and save lives.