DJI Demonstrates Drone Performance at World's Highest Peak, Everest, Expanding Applications in High-Altitude Delivery, Mapping, and Climate Research

July 9, 2026—DJI, the global leader in consumer drones and creative camera technology, announced today the successful completion of three missions on Mount Qomolangma (also known as Mount Everest), advancing groundbreaking achievements in high-altitude logistics, mapping, and atmospheric research. The missions utilized the new DJI FlyCart 100 for delivery and the new DJI Matrice 4E for surveying on the southern slope in Nepal. On the northern slope on the Chinese side, DJI's first eVTOL delivery drone, the EV50 (not released in Japan), supported long-range, high-altitude logistics for atmospheric chemistry research.

These milestones build upon DJI's decades-long commitment to pushing the boundaries of drone technology at the world's highest peak. In 2009, DJI tested a helicopter drone 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 at altitudes exceeding 4,700 m. In 2022, the DJI Mavic 3 reached the summit, capturing the first-ever drone footage from the peak at an elevation of 8,848.86 m. In 2024, the DJI FlyCart 30 completed the world's first drone delivery test on a mountain section from Base Camp to Camp 1 on the south slope.

"Our team remains fully committed to making the world's highest mountain a safer and cleaner place for Sherpas and climbers worldwide," said Christina Zhang, a spokesperson for DJI. "The success of our latest activities marks a proud milestone. We hope to continue collaborating with the scientific community to further advance drone technology, saving lives and supporting environmental protection efforts globally."

High-Altitude Drone Delivery Transports a Total of 10,073 kg of Supplies and Waste

The DJI FlyCart 100 is a high-capacity, high-payload delivery drone capable of long-range transport of up to 100 kg at sea level, while also achieving improved power efficiency. In collaboration with local Nepalese drone company Airlift, this trial evaluated the drone's high-altitude performance, including payload capacity, transmission distance, RTK positioning accuracy, signal stability, and battery life in sub-zero temperatures (-15 to 5°C). The payload included mountaineering expedition equipment such as oxygen cylinders, ropes, and ladders, as well as other gear, which were transported between Base Camp and Camp 1.

This year's trials demonstrated that the DJI FlyCart 100 can transport up to 47 kg and reach test altitudes exceeding 6,300 m. A total of 10,073 kg of supplies and waste were transported between Base Camp and Camp 1, comprising 7,215 kg of mountaineering supplies and 2,858 kg of waste recovered from the mountain. Traditionally, Sherpas would walk for 6 to 8 hours to carry the same supplies, needing to cross the dangerous Khumbu Icefall. However, using the FlyCart 100, a single one-way flight took only 8 minutes.

The DJI FlyCart 100 will continue to support the long-standing goal of the Nepalese mountaineering community to transport approximately 5,000 oxygen cylinders annually during the climbing season between Base Camp and Camp 1. Additionally, on return trips, it is planned to be used to remove approximately 10,000 kg of waste from high-altitude camps, which has been difficult to retrieve until now. With an average of about 8 kg of trash left by each climber on the mountain, these efforts align with broader sustainability promotion in Nepal, particularly with the Nepal Mountaineering Association's "Zero Waste Initiative 2027."

High-Altitude Glacier Mapping for Enhanced Climbing Safety

During the spring 2026 climbing season, the DJI Matrice 4E was tested in the high-altitude climbing environment to acquire high-resolution glacier data. This compact industrial drone, equipped with intelligent multi-sensors, demonstrated high performance even under harsh mountain conditions with temperatures below -20°C at an altitude of 6,450 m. In just 3.5 hours, it mapped over 3 km2 of key areas of the Khumbu Icefall, from Base Camp to the glacier collapse zone and up to Camp 1, with centimeter-level accuracy, significantly reducing the time required for traditional surveys. This contributes to real-time monitoring of hazardous areas, safer route design, faster movement in the mountains, and enhanced rescue operations.

The compact drone's laser rangefinder was used to precisely measure distance and terrain in real-time. These coordinate markers were utilized to assist each team in accurately identifying and sharing hazardous locations. In search and rescue operations, the drone functions as a second pair of eyes, intelligently identifying human positions and detecting movement in the snow-covered terrain.

The DJI Matrice 4E will continue to play a crucial role in improving climbing safety in the harsh environment of the world's highest peak, providing necessary data for climbing teams to make safer and more informed decisions.

"While glacier mapping and satellite monitoring are conducted in various regions worldwide, our efforts in Nepal are unique in their level of detail, practical application, and real-time capability for climbing safety," said Raj Bikram Maharjan, CEO of Airlift Technology. "To our knowledge, this is the first implementation in Nepal and possibly one of the earliest globally for a case of this scale actually operated in a high-altitude expedition environment."

Supporting High-Altitude Scientific Research on Climate Change

To support the scientific community, DJI conducted tests using its first eVTOL delivery drone, the DJI EV50 (not released in Japan), to perform micro-observations of atmospheric pollutants in the ultra-high-altitude troposphere. Ozone measurement equipment from Peking University's School of Environmental Science and Engineering was transported 12 times over 12 days from the Base Camp of the Qomolangma National Nature Preserve. To cope with complex winds and harsh flight conditions, spiral ascent and reciprocating flight patterns were employed. The most successful flight reached a maximum altitude of 8,861 m, with a maximum continuous ascent altitude of 3,730 m. This operation also marked the first time university researchers utilized drones for observations in the high-altitude troposphere.

The Future of Climbing, Made Safer

Over the past two decades, DJI has led the innovation of drone technology, pioneering the modern camera drone market. Beyond that, it has developed technologies and solutions utilized in various fields worldwide, including agriculture, infrastructure, and public safety. In 2026, we delivered our technology to the world's highest peak not to chase records, but to protect the planet. DJI will continue to expand the possibilities of drone technology in extreme environments by collaborating with local partners, the mountaineering community, and scientists to contribute to research, sustainability, and safety improvements.

Sales Information

The DJI FlyCart 100 is available for purchase through authorized DJI Delivery resellers. Learn more: https://www.dji.com/flycart-100

The DJI Matrice 4 Series is available for purchase through authorized DJI Enterprise resellers. Learn more: https://enterprise.dji.com/matrice-4-series

About DJI

Since 2006, DJI has led the world in consumer drone innovation, empowering people to take flight for the first time, supporting visionary creators in bringing their imaginations to life, and helping professionals fundamentally transform how they do their work. Today, DJI is contributing to building a better world by continuously promoting human progress. Driven by a solution-oriented mindset and pure curiosity, DJI has expanded its ambitions into fields such as renewable energy, agriculture, public safety, surveying and mapping, and infrastructure inspection. In every application, DJI products deliver experiences that add value to people's lives around the world in ways never before possible.

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