KATHMANDU: A Chinese cargo drone is all set to resume its operation on Mt Everest after facing a nine-day restriction for no reason.

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) today permitted Nepal's Airlift Technology Pvt Ltd to operate the DJI FlyCart 100 in the Everest region, officials have confirmed.

"The DNPWC today issued a clearance letter to Airlift Technologies to resume operation of the DJI's next-generation delivery drone 'FlyCart 100' for ferrying loads and garbage in the high camps of Mt Everest," a senior DNPWC official said.

The operation was halted on April 30 after the Ministry of Home Affairs cancelled its permit, citing no specific reasons. The ministry decided to cancel DJI's permit after American Freefly's Alta X Gen 2 (Category C) drone had sought permission for a test flight on Mt Everest.

Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality and Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee tied up with Airlift Technology Pvt Ltd. to operate the DJI drone to collect garbage from Camp I and ferry loads from base camp on Mt Everest.

Airlift Technology had reapplied for permission for the DJI drone to the Home Ministry, and the ministry lifted the ban on May 4. "The DNPWC finally approved DJI operations on May 8 following the ministry's decision," the official added.

Airlift Technologiy had not reapplied for permission for the American Freefly drone to the Home Ministry as of today, the official added.

The resumption marks the continuation of a drone programme that has been quietly transforming high-altitude operations on Everest over the past two seasons. Airlift Technology Pvt. Ltd., Nepal's pioneering drone company, co-founded by Milan Pandey and Raj Bikram Maharjan.

Just before the restriction, DJI, the world's dominant drone manufacturer, has been publicly celebrating what it described as the world's first drone delivery on Everest, carried out in April using its FlyCart 30 model in partnership with Nepali Airlift, 8KRAW, and local guides. The test involved delivering three oxygen bottles and 1.5 kg of supplies from Everest Base Camp to Camp I and returning with trash — a 12-minute operation that would take a human porter six to eight hours through the Khumbu Icefall.