Nepalese rescue efforts bolstered by use of drones

The latest figures from the Nepalese government state that 13,656 people have been rescued so far, including over 300 foreigners, with at least 1,377 confirmed dead and 5,130 people still missing, including approximately 600 foreigners from 35 countries. This has happened after a Himalayan glacier broke off near the Nepal-China border in late August and caused massive flash flooding along rivers downstream in Nepal.

“Most of our helicopters are busy with rescue operations. There is no other way to send food, essentials, medicine and fuel, except for drones, which are the best option to utilize, and we should prioritize them more,” said Santosh Budhathoki, a contract drone pilot for the Nepali Army, as reported by Reuters. Drones are being used over distances of 3–4km and can carry up to 60kg at a time. They are already making an impact for affected communities in ‌dire need of aid, he said.

The army is making around 10–16 aid deliveries per day using a fleet of four DJI FlyCart 100 drones, donated from China as part of an aid package. Drones are also being used to transport bodies in cut-off areas and to search for the remaining missing people, including looking for survivors in the hydropower plant tunnels in Upper Trishuli.

“We’ve ⁠been operating back and forth early in the morning. So yes, it is quite hectic, because we need to have this thing right now,” ⁠said Milan Pandey of the drone operating company, Airlift Technology, to Reuters. “Nepal has this geography, this terrain where drones would be really faster, quicker, and cheaper.”

India, China, and the Republic of Korea continue to work in coordination with the Nepali Army on search and rescue operations, as well as teams from the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and Australia. A government statement said that additional support had been received from the UK, Japan, the USA, Qatar, Singapore, Germany, Latvia, Luxembourg, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Maldives, Norway, Israel, Canada, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Ireland, the Czech Republic, and France, as well as the European Union. Rescue equipment, drones, load carriers, and materials from neighboring and friendly countries are being used for these operations.