Nepal in a bind as US-China drone war reaches Everest

Located at an altitude of 5,364 metres (17,600 feet), the base camp is where Everest climbers acclimatise to the thin air before heading towards the 8,849-metre (29,032ft) summit in Nepal, home to eight of the world's 10 highest peaks. It is a task the Chinese-made DJI FlyCart 30 drones have already been performing since 2024. For its test, the US team hired Seven Summit Treks, an expedition agency, and local drone pilots were called to the base camp. But as Gor and his team reached the base camp, the US plan hit a snag. Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs refused to issue a drone flight permit to the US officials.