Puts Drones to the Test on the World’s Highest Peak, Advancing Critical High-Altitude Delivery, Mapping, and Climate Research Applications
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DJI
/ Key word(s): Product Launch
SHENZHEN, China, July 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DJI, the global leader in civilian drones and creative camera technology, today announced the successful completion of three missions on Mount Qomolangma (also known as Mount Everest), advancing breakthroughs in high-altitude delivery, mapping, and atmospheric research. Missions featured the new DJI FlyCart 100 for delivery and the new DJI Matrice 4E for mapping on the South Slope in Nepal. And DJI’s first eVTOL delivery drone EV50 supported long-distance, high-altitude deliveries for atmospheric chemistry research on the North Slope in China. These milestones build on DJI’s decades-long effort to push the boundaries of drone innovation on the world’s highest mountain. In 2009, DJI tested an unmanned helicopter equipped with its self-developed XP3.1 flight control system on the mountain. A year later, the DJI Ace One flight control system successfully operated above 4,700 m. In 2022, a DJI Mavic 3 reached the summit and captured the first drone footage of the peak at 8,848.86 m. Then in 2024, DJI FlyCart 30 completed the world’s first drone delivery tests on the mountain from Base Camp to Camp 1 on the South Slope. “Our team remains dedicated to making the world’s highest mountain safer and cleaner for Sherpas and mountaineers worldwide,” said Christina Zhang, spokesperson for DJI. “The success of our latest operations marks a proud milestone, and we hope our ongoing collaboration with the scientific community will further advance drone technology—saving lives and supporting conservation efforts across the globe.” High Altitude Drone Delivery Transports 10,073 kg in Supplies and Waste
DJI FlyCart 100 is a high-capacity, heavy-lift delivery drone that can carry up to 100 kg at sea-level over longer distances while delivering improved power efficiency. In partnership with local Nepalese drone company Airlift, the tests assessed the drone’s high-altitude performance, including payload capacity, transmission range, RTK positioning accuracy, signal stability, and battery endurance in sub-zero temperatures (-15° to 5°C). The payload, which included various climbing expedition gear such as oxygen tanks, ropes, ladders, and other equipment, was flown between Base Camp and Camp 1. This year’s tests demonstrated the DJI FlyCart 100’s ability to carry up to 47 kg while reaching a test altitude of over 6,300 m. In total, 10,073 kg of supplies and waste were carried between Base Camp and Camp 1 – of which, 7,215 kg were climbing supplies and 2,858 kg were waste removed from the mountain. A single, one-way flight took just eight minutes to complete. Traditionally, Sherpas needed to trek six to eight hours on foot and cross the hazardous Khumbu Icefall to make the same delivery. DJI FlyCart 100 will continue to support the Nepalese climbing community’s long-term goal of transporting approximately 5,000 oxygen cylinders each climbing season between Base Camp and Camp 1. On return trips, DJI FlyCart 100 will assist in removing approximately 10,000 kg of waste from higher camps that previously could not be cleaned up. On average, each climber leaves about 8 kg of trash behind on the mountain. This aligns with Nepal’s broader sustainability efforts, including the Nepal Mountain Association’s “Zero Waste Initiative 2027.” Enabling High-Altitude Glacier Mapping Deployment for Mountaineering Safety
Throughout the Spring 2026 climbing season, the DJI Matrice 4E was tested in a high-altitude mountaineering environment to obtain high-resolution glacier intelligence. The compact enterprise drone with intelligent multi-sensors performed exceptionally well in the mountain’s extreme conditions at an altitude of 6,450 m and temperatures below -20° C. It mapped over 3 km² of the Khumbu Icefall’s core area at a centimeter-level — covering Base Camp, the icefall, and above Camp I — in just 3.5 hours, slashing typical survey time. It became a critical tool for providing real-time hazard monitoring, planning safer routes, enabling faster movement on the mountain, and improving support for rescue operations. The compact drone’s Laser Range Finder was used to make precise, real-time distance and terrain measurements. These coordinate markings, in turn, were used to help teams accurately identify and share hazard locations. For search-and-rescue operations, the drone can serve as a second pair of eyes, intelligently locating people and detecting movement against snow-covered terrain. DJI Matrice 4E will continue to play a critical role in improving mountaineering safety, providing climbing teams with the data they need to make smarter, safer decisions in the extreme environment on the world’s highest peak. “While glacier mapping and satellite monitoring have been used in different parts of the world, what we are doing in Nepal is unique because of the level of detail, operational application, and real-time safety focus for mountaineering,” said Raj Bikram Maharjan, CEO at Airlift Technology. “To our knowledge, this is the first deployment of its kind in Nepal, and potentially one of the first real-world operational uses globally at this scale in a high-altitude expedition environment.” Aiding High-Altitude Scientific Research on Climate Change
In support of the scientific community, DJI tested its first eVTOL delivery drone, DJI EV50, to conduct fine-scale observations of atmospheric pollutants in the ultra-high-altitude troposphere. Over 12 days, ozone-measuring equipment from the College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at Peking University was transported 12 times from the mountaineering base camp in the Qomolangma National Nature Reserve. Spiral ascents and reciprocating flight patterns were performed to navigate the complex winds and harsh flying conditions. The most successful flight reached a maximum flight altitude of 8,861 m with a maximum continuous climb of 3,730 m. This operation also marked the first time the university’s researchers used drones to conduct high-altitude troposphere observations for related atmospheric research. Making the Future of Mountaineering Safer For 20 years, DJI has driven innovation in drone technology – from pioneering the modern camera drone to developing tools now used in agriculture, infrastructure, and public safety around the world. In 2026, we took our technology to the highest peak – not for a record, but to protect our planet. DJI remains committed to working with local partners, mountaineering communities, and scientists to push the boundaries of what drone technology can do even in such extreme environments, in service of applications that support research, sustainability, and safety. Availability DJI FlyCart 100 is available for purchase through authorized DJI Delivery dealers. Learn more: https://www.dji.com/flycart-100 DJI Matrice 4 Series are available for purchase through authorized DJI Enterprise dealers. Learn more: https://enterprise.dji.com/matrice-4-series About DJI Since 2006, DJI has led the world with civilian drone innovations that have empowered individuals to take flight for the first time, visionaries to turn their imagination into reality, and professionals to transform their work entirely. Today, DJI serves to build a better world by continuously promoting human advancement. With a solution-oriented mindset and genuine curiosity, DJI has expanded its ambitions into areas such as renewable energy, agriculture, public safety, surveying and mapping, and infrastructure inspection. In every application, DJI products deliver experiences that add value to lives around the world in more profound ways than ever before. For more information, visit our:
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