Drones Deployed for Waste Collection on Mount Everest

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Kathmandu: Mount Everest (Sagarmatha), long a symbol of Nepal’s global identity and a cornerstone of tourism, faces mounting environmental challenges as waste continues to accumulate with the growing number of climbers and trekkers.

To address this issue and support climate action, drones are now being used to collect waste in the Everest region. Cimex Inc., the official distributor of BYD electric vehicles in Nepal, has partnered with Nepali drone company Airlift Technologies to carry out the initiative. The goal is to remove 1,000 kilograms of waste from the mountain.

The effort is part of BYD’s global campaign, “Cool the Earth by One Degree,” which seeks to promote clean energy and combat climate change by reducing carbon emissions.

Cimex CEO Sahil Shrestha said the company is contributing both financially and technically as part of its corporate social responsibility. Market head Samir Shrestha added that 286 kilograms of waste were already collected from Camp I last season, with further collections continuing this year.

“The Airlift Company has previously worked on waste management in the Everest region,” Shrestha noted. “This time, Cimex and Airlift are working together to collect 1,000 kilograms.”

He emphasized that drones have made the process easier and more efficient, adding, “After their successful use in rope fixing, drones are now being effectively used in waste collection as well.”