Drone Cleanup on Everest
DOMA SHERPA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
MOUNTAIN OF WASTE: More than 30 tons of trash currently sits on the slopes of Mount Everest.
JIM MCMAHON/MAPMAN
Every year, about 800 people attempt to climb Mount Everest—the world’s tallest mountain, located along the border of Nepal and China. These climbers leave the mountain littered with waste, including used ropes, tents, and oxygen tanks. Now Nepal is testing a new way to remove some of that trash: drones.
DJI TECHNOLOGY INC.
HEAVY LIFTER: The FlyCart 30 drone can carry up to 66 pounds.
The FlyCart 30 is a flying robot designed to withstand Everest’s high altitudes, freezing temperatures, and strong winds. Last April, the drone flew up to a campsite on Everest’s slopes and returned carrying 15 kg (33 lb) of trash.
The hike to and from Everest’s summit can be deadly. Carrying trash down the mountain can be a safety issue for humans—but not for drones. “This is a great example of how drones can take people out of dangerous scenarios,” says Christina Harvey, an engineer who studies drones at the University of California, Davis.
