The use of drones for waste management at Mt. Everest has become a milestone. The work began at the start of this year and has now been completed in an enviable manner. Now, a similar plan is devised for Manaslu as well.
According to APF, two drones- DJI FC 30 heavy lifters have been employed to sanitize Mt. Everest of tons of waste. They are put to use at camp 1, which rests at an elevation of 6,065 meters. Initially, it brought down 300 kilograms of waste from camp 1 between April and June.
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Drone use in waste management at Mt. Everest
The drones carried mostly cans, gas cylinders, plastic, bottles, and equipment used for climbing. These remotely controlled devices have become remarkable employees in sanitizing Everest of the waste left by thousands of mountaineers over the years.
Prior to this, we only had helicopters and human resources for waste management at the Everest, Airlift Technologies founder Raj Bikram Maharjan says, “Therefore, we have started using drones to carry heavy waste off the Everest.”
The same company has also carried off 641 kilograms of waste from Mt. Dablam. Everest Pollution Control Committee chief Tshering Sherpa says that using drones for waste management at Mt. Everest has been very effective.
He said, “In one minute, drones can carry waste that takes 6 hours for 10 people.” A single drone costs USD20,000; however, a China-based company imported them to Nepal as part of the campaign to clean the Everest and promote its brand.
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The drones are also being used to carry oxygen, ropes, and other mountaineering gear.
Sherpa adds that drones are not only used in wars, but they can also be used to save the environment. It can be a game-changer in work related to the conservation of the environment and serving human needs.
Once labelled a landfill site, Everest now has drones to thank for its cleaning.