US-China drone rivalry reaches Everest's summit, leaving Nepal in geopolitical bind

Kathmandu, Nepal – On May 1, a US delegation led by Sergio Gor, President Donald Trump's special envoy for South and Central Asia, landed by helicopter at Everest Base Camp (5,364 meters) to test the American-made Alta X Gen 2 drone. The goal was to check its ability to carry oxygen cylinders, ladders, climbing gear, and food from base camp to Camp I (6,130 meters) – a mission already being performed since 2024 by China's FlyCart 30 drone.

But the US plan hit a snag as soon as the delegation reached base camp. Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs denied the US team a drone flight permit. An internal ministry document obtained by Al Jazeera cited “drone procedures” and “security sensitivity” as reasons for the refusal. As a result, the Alta X Gen 2 never took off near Everest, and the US delegation was forced to return to Kathmandu.

The episode illustrates Nepal's predicament wedged between the United States and its rival China, turning the world's tallest peak into a new battlefield in the technology contest between the two largest economies.

China, the neighbor on the other side of the Himalayas, was first to establish a technological foothold on Everest. In 2024, China's DJI FlyCart 30 was first tested for logistics transport for climbers. After its success, DJI donated two drones to AirLift Technology, a Nepalese drone company, to haul supplies to Camp I, significantly easing the burden on Sherpas who previously performed the work manually.

This year, DJI supplied the latest model, the FlyCart 100, to AirLift even before its official market release. According to operators, the FlyCart 100 can carry up to 45 kilograms of cargo to Camp I in under three minutes, nearly half its rated payload at sea level. “It can take cargo up and return to base camp, also bringing down trash, in about eight minutes. A Sherpa typically needs six to seven hours to walk to Camp I for the same job and a full day for a round trip,” said Milan Pandey, director of AirLift Technology.

The new model can transport at least 10 oxygen cylinders to Camp I in minutes, compared with three Sherpas taking a full day, and can bring down bags of human waste and trash from the slopes. On an average day, one FlyCart 100 carries more than 900 kilograms of supplies to Camp I.

Analysts say the US and China are putting Nepal in a dilemma by using the country's terrain to test sensitive technologies. “The fact that Nepalese officials have reversed decisions based on pressure from Beijing and Washington shows how tense this situation can be,” said Steven Feldstein, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “Given the security importance of drones, that only escalates the tension.”

The permit denial for the US came as the annual Everest climbing season began. On May 7, a 12-member Nepalese team summited to fix ropes for the hundreds of climbers expected in the coming weeks. Among the record 492 climbing permits issued by the Nepalese government this year, Chinese citizens led with 109 permits, followed by 76 for US citizens.

The denial also caused ripple effects: The Nepalese government suspended the flight permit for China's DJI FlyCart 100 for one week. “Drones make work easier, but this dispute hampered our operations this year. The contest affected daily work for over a week. We couldn't transport ladders to the Everest icefall when the drone was most needed to fix ropes,” Pandey said.

For years, the use of Chinese drones in Everest expeditions has reduced risks for Sherpas, who normally carry climbing gear, food, and tools along treacherous routes to Camp I. Drones save time and minimize risks for Sherpas – five of whom have died this year, even before the official Everest season began.

But Nepalese security analysts say China, the US, and even India are all trying to penetrate Nepal – a poor country – under the guise of economic aid and technology support. “We are too quick to accept their aid without verifying what technology they are providing,” said retired Nepalese Army Major General Binoj Basnyat, suspecting the devices could be used for surveillance.

Expedition organizers believe Chinese objections to Nepal allowing a US company may have forced the government to revoke the drone flight permit. “China knew Trump's people were coming to Nepal. They went to Everest base camp and demonstrated a new drone. That complicated things,” said an unnamed expedition company owner, fearing repercussions for business.

The drone ban near Everest was lifted on May 9. China's DJI FlyCart 100 resumed cargo operations, while the US Alta X Gen 2 remains grounded at base camp. Pandey said his company is not interested in the US drone after tests in Kathmandu showed it could carry only 5 kilograms at high altitude and cost more than the Chinese model.

The US side remains optimistic. Mr. Gor expressed hope that new UAV technology could reduce Everest transport from days to minutes. “The United States leads in innovation, and we are happy to partner with Nepalese companies to bring advanced technology to Nepal,” the US Embassy in Nepal quoted Mr. Gor as saying.

China denies any intention to compete technologically. Mr. Gao Liang, deputy director of the Nepalese Studies Center at Sichuan University in China, said, “There is a consensus in Nepal that US geostrategic interests in the country mainly involve using Nepal to advance anti-China strategic goals. Therefore, the so-called geopolitical complexity largely comes from the US side, while China only reacts passively.”

Nepalese foreign policy expert Vijaya Kant Karna fears the technology race on Everest could trigger geopolitical tensions in the Himalayas. “What happens if they test and misuse technology in sensitive areas like the trans-Himalayan region?” he asked./