First drone delivery on Mt.Everest
Saving lives and cleaning trash has never been easier
When it comes to trekking in the Himalayas, Mt. Everest is the most celebrated peak. Getting up close to the highest mountain peak in the world is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As exciting as this sounds, trekking can also get freakish in Nepal. Some call it spine-chilling to hike to the Everest summit. The landscape has its natural allure and wilderness. Along the way you can see rolling hills, sudden tall snow peaks and an abundance of meadows. It is often so quiet that you can hear the rustle of the wind against the pebbles and rocks. A scene out of ‘Frozen’.
I once met a serious mountaineer who was planning to begin his summit hike from the Everest Base Camp (5360m). He spoke quite warmly of his stay near the Base Camp. There are quite a few villages dotting this part of the mountain where sherpas (porters) and mountain guides live with their families. These homes often take in mountaineers as house guests. My friend spoke warmly of their hospitality. The stay gave him a flavour of life on these mountains, the dangers and opportunities these villagers face, their exceptional care for local animals and trees that form a part of their everyday traditions.
The hiking route from Base Camp to Camp 1
Once the trekkers begin their ascent upwards, they cross an area called the Khumbu Ice Fall. This is a section of the Khumbu Glacier. The Ice Fall is 5km of constantly moving ice. Everest climbers have to to traverse huge gaps (crevasses) between the solid ice using ropes and ladders. Once they cross this ice fall, they hike on regular ground to Camp 1 (6065m). The sherpas (local Nepalese porters) who carry the heavy bags, cooking equipments and other luggage for the mountaineers traverse these sections with huge weights on their backs. These sherpas are also responsible for picking up trash that hikers leave behind on Camp 1 and bring them down to the Everest Base Camp. Once again, they climb down this Khumbu Ice Fall with heavy loads on their backs. Some sherpas go across the Ice Fall nearly 35-40 times each year. Each time, they put their lives at risk for another trekker to be able to summit Everest, and to keep the mountain slopes clean.
Tech meets Mountain
After years of representation from the sherpas and mountain guides, the Nepalese government toyed with the idea of using technology to ease some of the burden off the sherpas’ backs. A drone company called DJI was asked if their drones could airlift some of these bags, and, carry the trash back from Camp 1 to EBC. DJI wasn’t very confident since drones had never been sent to operate at these heights and high wind speeds. While helicopters do make this journey, they are used less frequently due to the significant dangers and costs. Helicopters are heavier and find it harder to navigate their way between narrow spaces of rocks and cliffs.
DJI FlyCart 30 becomes the first drone to complete delivery to Camp 1
Success in its first season of trial!
In the first trial trip a few weeks ago, DJI’s drone carried 15kg payloads (weight carried by the drone). This included three oxygen bottles and 1.5kg of other supplies. They were flown from Everest Base Camp to Camp 1 (5,300-6,000m ASL). On the return trip, it carried trash was back down. The drone was able to manoeuvre in the extreme altitude and environmental conditions of the mountain. Sherpas and drone operators celebrated this historic moment together!
Why this drone test is historic?
Mingma Gyalje Sherpa is a Nepali Sherpa who helps mountaineers summit Everest.
We spend 6-8 hours each day walking through the Khumbu icefall. We make the hazardous climb across the Khumbu Icefall typically at night when temperatures are lowest and the ice is most stable. Last year I lost three Sherpas. If we're not lucky, if our time is not right, we lose our life there.
This drone can complete the same trip in 12 minutes, whether night or day. It can carry the 15kg that a sherpa carries on his back. Imagine what a difference it makes to our lives!”
Trash cleaning on Everest could be way easier
Each climber leaves 8kg of trash behind on Everest. There’s lots more waste left outside the camp sites, on the slopes of the mountains, along the way that climbers hike. Sherpas are currently responsible for bringing down all the trash - human waste and other garbage along the slopes.
These drones have the potential to ease their burden substantially. They can reduce the number of trips Sherpas must make across the Khumbu Icefall.
Life savior drones
There are also instances when climbers run out of oxygen on higher altitudes. In cases of emergency, a sherpa has to climb up to reach the hiker with a spare oxygen cylinder - which can take 6-8 hours. A drone that can complete the same trip in 12 mins could be the difference between life and death for a hiker, running out of oxygen on the mountain sides.
Watch the drone delivery at work
Harry Potter book review - Podcast series just out
A group of Potterheads got together and reviewed the Harry Potter book series. They discussed six important points pertaining to the book
Part 1 - Which house in Hogwarts would you like to be sorted into?
You can listen to the other 5 parts by scrolling onto the Spotify list on What’s new today
Part 2 - What would you see in the Mirror of Erised?
Part 3 - Who would you rather chat with - Hagrid vs Dumbledore
Part 4 - How different is the magical world from the real world
Part 5 - What if you got an Acceptance Letter from Hogwarts
Part 6 - Harry Potter movies vs. books - how different are they?
Queens who ruled India - a podcast series
If you have heard of Saif Ali Khan (of Bollywood fame), you might be surprised to know that he hails from a dynasty of women rulers. Nowhere else in Asia had Islamic women ascended the throne. Their stories are a super cool - they battled patriarchy, religion and above all, governed exceedingly well. These cool women were also called the Begums of Bhopal.
Podcast recordings coming soon
We will soon be recording podcasts on news stories relating to
Junk food (if you love French fries, margherita pizzas, this one may be for you)
Space - a once in a lifetime cosmic event that we will get to witness in our skies (if you love super novas and black holes, this one may be for you).
If you would like to be a part of these recordings, click below to register.
There are three link buttons at the bottom of each post: Like, Share, and Comment. It would be so great if you clicked on one!
Your participation helps me reach more people, and allows me to know you’re reading this newsletter.'