democratize the climb to Everest

a drone DJI Mavic 3 Pro Equipped with a Hasselblad camera, he has managed to capture something that until recently seemed impossible: the complete ascent of Mount Everest from base camp to the summit in a single continuous flight. For 43 minutes, the aircraft traveled 3,500 meters of altitude, crossing the Khumbu icefall, the South Col and the final walls until reaching 8,848 meters of altitude. The images reveal the normal route of ascent in all its magnitude, including the characteristic queues of mountaineers who each season try to crown the roof of the world.

The challenge. At that altitude, the air contains barely a third of the oxygen available at sea level, temperatures can drop to -30°C and winds reach speeds that would make the flight of any conventional drone impossible. The team used the Mavic 3 Pro with a four-thirds CMOS sensor, a combination that allowed stability and image quality to be maintained in extreme conditions. Beyond the visual spectacle, this flight is part of a more ambitious project by DJI: to demonstrate that drones can save lives on the highest mountain on the planet.

Drones in high mountains. The tests of DJI on Everest respond to a clear commercial strategy: convert their drones into rescue and logistics tools in extreme environments. The Chinese company seeks to demonstrate that these aircraft can transport medicines, locate missing mountaineers and facilitate emergency operations at altitudes where thin air complicates any human intervention.

The best-known precedent occurred in 2018, when Scottish mountaineer Rick Allen was located on Broad Peak after 36 hours lost at more than 7,000 meters of altitude. thanks to a DJI Mavic drone. That rescue, coordinated by Bartek Bargiel, brother of the skier Andrzej Bargiel, who we will now talk about again, marked a turning point in the perception of drones as high mountain safety instruments.

Qualitative leap. In 2025, the Nepalese company Airlift Technology began providing drone logistics services between Everest Base Camp and Camp One, separated by approximately 2.9 kilometers in a straight line but by a 700-meter difference in altitude and the dangerous Khumbu Icefall. What takes the Sherpas between six and seven hours of crossing, a drone completes it in six or seven minutes. Milan Pandey, the company’s drone pilot, explains that during the 2025 climbing season they transported ladders, ropes and oxygen cylinders following radio instructions from the Sherpas who install the fixed routes.

Safer. The impact on the job security of these high mountain workers is significant. The so-called “icefall doctors” (Sherpas specialized in preparing and maintaining the passage through the Khumbu glacier) traditionally had to go up and down dozens of times each season carrying heavy equipment through unstable terrain where Almost 50 people have died since 1953. They can now request additional material without having to descend to base camp, which dramatically reduces risk.

The key case. On September 22, 2025, Polish mountain skier Andrzej Bargiel completed a feat that combines extreme mountaineering with technological innovation: Ascended Everest without supplemental oxygen and skied down to base camp without removing skis. After almost 16 hours climbing in the so-called “death zone” above 8,000 meters, Bargiel began the descent along the South Col route. What was innovative was the role of drones in this expedition: his brother Bartek piloted one from base camp to guide him through the Khumbu Icefall, the most dangerous section of the descent.

All this is seen in the full 31 minute documentary which records the adventure using cameras mounted on Bargiel’s helmet and aerial shots captured by drones. The footage reveals a extremely technical descent: ice, almost vertical walls, traversing exposed ledges and, in the final stretch of the Khumbu waterfall, slow maneuvers avoiding deep cracks and blocks of ice the size of buildings. The assistance of the drone was critical precisely in this sector: Bartek flew in real time over the glacier, identifying stable snow bridges, marking dead ends and choosing safe slopes.

Visual democratization. Videos like these are part of a broader phenomenon. YouTube hosts thousands of recordings documenting mountain climbs, cave explorations, glacier traverses, and cliff flyovers that until a decade ago could only be captured by helicopters or million-dollar productions. An example is that of the Chinese photographer Ma Chunlin, who spent five years obtaining the necessary permits and carrying out test flights before achieving a definitive recording of the ascent of Everest. in one shot.

Technically possible. This type of content responds to a technological evolution that has made accessible tools previously reserved for professionals. Models like the DJI Mavic Mini, which weighs 249 grams, allow users without prior experience to capture stabilized aerial shots in resolutions higher than Full HD. Portability is key: Foldable drones that fit in a backpack during long hikes have removed the logistical barriers that previously limited aerial photography to specialized equipment.

The doubts. The proliferation of drones in natural spaces has generated debates about their impact. Regulations vary significantly between countries and regions: some National Parks prohibit its use entirely, while others allow flights with prior authorization. The balance between visual access to nature and the preservation of these environments (including the protection of wildlife that may be disturbed by the noise and presence of these devices) remains an open question.

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