Image: Airlift Technology Nepal/DJIWho requires helicopters when youve got a drone flying oxygen tanks to 20,000 feet? DJIs FlyCart 30 just pulled off a record-setting Everest season conserving Sherpas hours of danger and transporting trash off the worlds tallest mountain.During the now-concluded 2025 spring climbing season, DJIs heavy-lift delivery drone transferred 1,259 kg of vital products and garbage across the treacherous Khumbu Icefall.
The 25-day objective changed dozens of risky journeys normally made by Sherpas on foot, each needing 6 to 8 hours of hiking through some of the most harmful surface on Earth.This wasnt a trial run.
It was the very first full-blown, real-world implementation of drone-based logistics at severe altitudes, and it worked.From death zone to drone zoneThe FlyCart 30 carried life-saving oxygen bottles, food, and climbing equipment from Everest Base Camp (5,300 m) as much as Camp 1 (6,000 m).
It returned carrying bags of waste, reducing the ecological impact of climbing explorations and securing the delicate Himalayan ecosystem.Advertisement - scroll for more contentDJI worked with Nepal-based drone services business Airlift, adventure movie team 8KRAW, and certified mountain guide Mingma Gyalje Sherpa to make the job a reality.Last year, I lost 3 Sherpas in the Khumbu Icefall, Mingma said throughout DJIs 2024 test flights.
If our timing is off by even a couple of seconds, we can lose our lives.
The drone modifications everything.The FlyCart 30 used a self-detaching winch system to lower gear without requiring to land.
This was important in Everests rugged, sloped surface where safe drone landings arent constantly possible.
The drone maintained stability in 15C temperatures, low oxygen levels, and high winds conditions that would ground most aircraft.Each trip took just 6 to 12 minutes, compared to several hours on foot, drastically enhancing both efficiency and safety.
The drones maximum payload of 15 to 20 kilograms allowed it to carry whatever from ropes and ladders to oxygen tanks and garbage bags.Cleaning up the worlds greatest dumpEverests growing appeal has left behind an ugly legacy: garbage.
Some 80+ tons of garbage have actually been eliminated recently, however waste continues to accumulate including empty oxygen bottles, food wrappers, and human waste.The FlyCart 30s ability to fly waste down from Camp 1 is a huge advance for sustainable mountaineering.
Less helicopter runs indicate lower carbon emissions.
Fewer porter trips imply fewer lives at risk.Local officials are now working to scale drone-assisted cleanup efforts and are even training Sherpas as drone operators, turning them from human pack providers into high-tech pilots.Beyond Everest: An international workhorseLaunched globally in January 2024, the DJI FlyCart 30 drone is currently making an effect worldwide.
In Japan, its planting trees on high slopes.
In Norway, its assisting mountain rescue.
In Mexico, its aiding with photovoltaic panel setups.
Even in Antarctica, the drone supports scientific objectives in remote areas.What makes the FlyCart 30 stick out is its adaptability and strength.
With a variety of up to 16 km, adjustable payload bays, and the ability to auto-return when signals drop, its built for places where roadways dont go and helicopters cant land.Now, DJI and its partners are eyeing other Himalayan peaks for future drone operations.
The success of this season shows that drone logistics isnt simply a cool concept its a safe, scalable option that might change mountain expeditions, disaster response, and remote infrastructure projects.More: Gaussian Splatting magic: DJI Terras greatest leap given that launchFTC: We utilize income making auto affiliate links.More.