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In an effort to collect ten tons of waste, Nepalese authorities have turned to drones for the first time to clean up the Asian mountain range. This is a significant departure from previous waste removal efforts, which relied on Sherpas and members of the army to navigate through hazardous icefall while carrying large amounts of garbage.
The use of drones has been piloted on a small scale, with the aim of transporting garbage from Camp II, located at 6,400 meters above sea level. The success of this initiative could lead to full implementation in future seasons. According to Jagat Prasad Bhusal, administrative director of the municipality overseeing the Nepalese side of the mountain, it’s crucial to alleviate the burden on Sherpas risking their lives to transport waste.
Nepal partnered with The NeverRest Project in 2023 to address the waste issue on Everest by mobilizing mountain specialists and climbers. However, despite numerous regulations for mountain climbing in past years, implementation has been lacking due to the absence of liaison officers on the ground.
Innovative solutions like using drones equipped with cameras by organizations such as Ellipsis Earth provide hope for addressing plastic pollution crisis by mapping location of plastic waste effectively combating pollution and waste accumulation. The development of technology like drones for environmental purposes highlights its immense potential beyond military applications.
On a similar note, Peru has seen a significant increase in commercial use of drones over years across various sectors such as topography and mapping, surveillance, construction inspections and disaster prevention among others. Proper utilization of drones for initiatives like waste collection can be an effective solution in hard-to-reach areas like Everest where traditional methods are not feasible or safe.
