Last spring, cargo drone tests were conducted on Everest. These were so successful that the Nepalese authorities have decided that these drones will in future transport equipment and collect waste between Camp 1 and Base Camp.
It seems like a great idea. Drones are cleaner and more cost-effective than helicopters. And most importantly, they are a safer option for the many porters who risk their lives to commute through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall several times a season. Nearly 50 people have died amidst these seracs since the first ascent of the summit in 1953.
Safety first
“Using drones on Everest is a natural evolution of technology applied to mountaineering in the Himalayas,” Dawa Steven Sherpa of Asian Trekking told ExplorersWeb. “(It’s) something that helicopters were doing, but at a pretty high risk and high cost.”
“Drones will save lives,” Mingma G of Imagine Nepal agreed to ExplorersWeb.
Mingma G knows all too well the toll the Icefall can take. Last spring he three men lost when a piece of ice collapsed.
“In addition,” he told ExplorerWeb, “drones will ease the crowds at the Khumbu Icefall and… multiply the amount of trash that can be cleaned up.”
Even commercial clients should welcome the change, because as Dawa Steven Sherpa notes, “there has always been some guilt and fear (among clients) that the Sherpas are putting themselves at risk by carrying loads.”
Other peaks too
The measure will be implemented not only on Everest but also on other peaks of the Khumbu. The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality and Airlift Technology Pvt. Ltd. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding “for the use of advanced drone technology to efficiently manage waste in the mountains of the Khumbu region.”
Chinese manufacturers Da Jiang Innovations (DJI) will be responsible for commercializing the drones. It was one of their models that was tested last spring that prompted the rule change.
“The DJI FlyCart 30, the heavy-duty long-range drone, was able to transport 234 kg per hour between Camp I and Base Camp, a task normally completed by at least 14 porters in six hours,” The Kathmandu Post reported.
Watch a video about cargo drones on Everest here.
Loss of local jobs?
Some worry that jobs could be lost as expeditions need fewer porters to carry loads on their backs. But stakeholders see it as an opportunity for Sherpas to push for better jobs.
“If the Sherpas are less busy carrying loads, they have more time to help their clients with the actual climb,” Dawa Steven said. “This is more financially rewarding for them in terms of bonuses and tips. Any commercial client is going to need/want a Sherpa to help with the climb to the summit, so I would say their jobs are safe.”
Dawa Steven sees an ambitious future for the Sherpa community. “We foresee that there will be fewer Sherpas working in mountaineering, and those who do will be better trained (UIAGM or similar). The trend is already shifting towards Sherpas acting more as guides (than) in their traditional role as porters. The drone will act as a catalyst for that.”
Moreoversaid Jagat Bhusal of Khumbu Municipality The Kathmandu Post reports that there is a plan to train Sherpas as drone pilots.
Although the drones will operate up to Camp 1 (6,000m), porters will still be required to carry loads over the easier section between Camp 1 on the Western Cwm and Camp 2 (6,400m).
Finally, drones still have a ceiling. From there, nothing can match the Sherpas’ ability to reach greater heights.
Will Camp 2 become a new Advanced Base Camp?
Drones could change some climbing strategies. Dawa Steven noted that his own Sherpa team hopes to be stationed at Camp 2 in the future. They will pick up loads at Camp 1 and then resupply the high camps. This limits their passage through the Icefall to just one out and one back.
Commercial clients already minimize their rotations by acclimatizing on easier peaks, doing hypoxic training at home, and using supplemental oxygen at Camp 2.
Better waste processing, but more needed
The measure should also reduce the amount of trash that accumulates outside Base Camp. Some improvements in human waste removal last spring were a good start. Teams also tried to bring down their gear as they retreated. Drones will help with this, but much remains to be done to clean up the mountain, especially around Camp 4, located at almost 8,000 meters on the South Col.
The mail Drones to help Sherpas avoid Everest icefall next year first appeared on Explorers Web.
