2025 Downed Drone in Khumbu Icefall. Photo courtesy of Passang Dawa Sherpa and Robert Alt
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2 thoughts on “2025 Downed Drone in Khumbu Icefall. Photo courtesy of Passang Dawa Sherpa and Robert Alt”
Could you give more information as how drones are being utilized this season on Himalaya summits – especially on Everest camps – until which altitude and for what purposes ? On a large scale already or just a few tries ? Under sherpas’ supervision ? Thank a lot for all you post and comment.
The drones were used to ferry ladders and ropes into the Khumbu Icefall while the Icefall Doctors were setting the route. Then they repeated the process for Camp 1, their highest point at 19,500 feet, along with oxygen bottles and other gear that the Sherpas then carried to Camp 2 and higher.
Specially trained ‘pilots’ fly them and have a payload of 30 kg, but this season’s limit is 15 kg as a trial. Next year, they may carry more, higher. One crashed (or was reported as a ‘controlled landing’ with a parachute) and was damaged. I know the other is heavily used and has reports from people at EBC seeing it often.