The DJI FlyCart 30 successfully supported the 2025 spring climbing season on Mount Everest. Following last year’s successful high-altitude waste removal trial, the company's game-changing delivery drone is now officially deployed for routine service. In total, the drone ferried 1,259 kg of supplies and waste across the mountain’s treacherous terrain. By shifting the burden to machines, human sherpas no longer need to walk for 6-8 hours each day and risk their lives carrying supplies across the hazardous Khumbu Icefall.
This monumental achievement fulfills DJI’s efforts to bring innovative drone technology to support high-altitude operations and improve worker safety. It also sets a new benchmark for mountaineering logistics, and the company is optimistic that the success on Mount Everest can be replicated on other peaks.
Image Source: Airlift Technology Nepal
In 2024, DJI teamed up with Nepalese drone service company Airlift, video production company 8KRAW, and Nepalese certified mountain guide Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, to fly the world's first successful delivery drone trials on Mount Everest. Highlighting the impressive capabilities of FlyCart 30, the drone was able to carry 15kg payloads even in the extreme altitude and environmental conditions of Mount Everest. This included supplies for climbers, such as oxygen tanks, as well as aiding cleanup efforts by carrying down the trash left behind on the mountain. During the tests, three oxygen bottles and 1.5 kg of other supplies were flown from Everest Base Camp to Camp 1 (5,300-6,000m ASL).
The use of delivery drones in high-altitude regions enhances safety and logistics efficiency. It underscores the mountaineering sector’s commitment to eco-friendly operations and highlights the importance of environmental conservation and sustainable practices within the industry.
Launched globally in January 2024, DJI FlyCart 30 provides practical transportation solutions tailored to the unique needs and challenges of locals living in mountainous terrain. There have already been many incredible success stories. In Japan, FlyCart 30 was deployed to help plant saplings in steep hillside environments and for line pulling. Meanwhile, it has transformed solar PV installation in Mexico, aided mountain fire rescue efforts in Norway, and improved scientific research operations in Antarctica.