Source: Wenhui Daily
As the spring climbing season peaks, there is a growing demand for logistics services on the southern slope of Mount Everest in Nepal. The Nepal Tourism Board at the Everest Base Camp announced on May 12th that renowned Sherpa guide Kami Rita Sherpa, aged 54, reached the summit of Everest for the 29th time at 7:25 AM, setting a new world record.
According to data from the Nepal Tourism Board, as of May 10th, 414 climbers have been approved to climb the 8,848.86-meter peak from the Nepalese side this spring.
The Sherpa community, living on both sides of the Himalayas, has long been famous in the climbing world for providing route maintenance, guiding, and porter services since humans first attempted to conquer Everest from the southern slope. However, the rise of commercial climbing activities in recent years has led to increased logistics demand during the spring climbing season. The Khumbu local government is now considering using cargo drones for transport along the Everest climbing routes, a move that has raised concerns among Sherpas who rely on the climbing industry for their livelihood.
Will Drones Reduce Risks or Impact Local Livelihoods?
The “Everest economy” has profoundly transformed the lives of the Sherpa people. Traditionally, Sherpas were primarily engaged in farming and herding. The emergence of commercial climbing on Everest’s southern slope in 1993 provided Sherpas with substantial income compared to the generally low wages in Nepal. Apart from assisting climbers, Sherpas also carry supplies to the base camp, clear paths, set up safety ropes, and even work as cooks and caregivers for climbing teams.
During an interview in early April in Salleri, a town in Solukhumbu County near the southern slope of Everest, the reporter stayed at a family-run guesthouse owned by a Sherpa family. The husband, in his prime, was away at Everest preparing for the climbing season, while his wife managed the guesthouse and cared for their children and elderly parents. This scenario of husbands seeking fortune on Everest while wives manage the household is common among Sherpas.
Sherpas’ ability to survive at high altitudes is remarkable; they can carry loads up to 30 kilograms above 8,000 meters, assisting numerous climbers. However, frequent climbing accidents have claimed many Sherpa lives. The 2014 Khumbu Icefall avalanche buried 16 Sherpas, and last year, three Sherpas were lost under collapsing ice and snow.
To mitigate these risks, the local government plans to use drone technology for cargo transport, primarily between the base camp and the first and second camps, bypassing the hazardous Khumbu Icefall. Technically, this plan is feasible as the design specifications for cargo drones meet the requirements for altitude, flight distance, payload, and operational environment. According to Nepalese media, local officials stated, “If successful, we will use drones to transport climbing waste from the second camp at 6,500 meters in the next climbing season.” However, the use of drones for logistics has not been fully discussed yet.
Local Sherpas fear that drones might replace their jobs, affecting their livelihoods. Considering these concerns, the government plans to initially “test the waters” by using drones for waste removal.
Sherpa people – Credited to Wenhui Daily
Mount Everest Cargo Drone
Drones to Enhance Waste Management Efficiency and Reduce Costs
Data from previous years indicates that about 110 tons of waste were removed from Everest from 2019 to the end of last year. The large number of climbers and the widespread littering along the route have been major issues for Everest in recent years. The Nepal Mountaineering Association states that carrying extra weight, such as an oxygen bottle, can increase risks during the extreme ascent. Hence, most climbers, unless mandated, are unlikely to carry waste back to the base camp, posing health risks to downstream residents due to waste from climbers contaminating glacier meltwater.
To address this long-standing issue, the government has implemented several measures: anyone heading to Everest must pay a $4,000 garbage deposit, refundable only after returning with 8 kilograms of trash and bags containing waste. The Nepalese military has also been conducting waste clean-up operations on and around Everest. However, the harsh environment makes waste removal challenging and expensive. The introduction of cargo drones is expected to significantly enhance efficiency and reduce costs.
For a long time, helicopters have played a vital role in transporting tourists to the base camp and conducting aerial rescues. However, using helicopters extensively for daily supply transport and waste removal is not feasible. Cargo drones are expected to fill this gap effectively in the future.
Kathmandu Correspondent: Ning Lin
Translated & Edited by Airmobi Limited
