Mount Everest becomes new front in US-China tech rivalry PHOTO

Nepal, home to Mount Everest — the world’s highest mountain — has long attracted climbers eager to conquer the 8,849-metre peak. In recent times, however, Everest is also increasingly becoming a battleground in the technological competition between global superpowers.

Kathmandu has found itself caught in a growing geopolitical tug-of-war following a recent incident involving a delegation from the United States, as an article by Al Jazeera brings attention to.

On May 1, a team of US officials led by the Special Envoy to South and Central Asia, Sergio Gor travelled by helicopter to Everest base camp to test the American-made Alta X Gen 2 drone. The goal was to evaluate its ability to transport oxygen cylinders, ladders, food and climbing equipment from base camp to Camp I on Everest’s southern ridge at an altitude of 6,130 metres.

The same logistical missions have already been carried out multiple times since 2024 using Chinese-made DJI FlyCart 30 drones.

However, Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs refused to grant a flight permit for the US drone tests. According to an internal government memo obtained by Al Jazeera, the permit was denied over “drone flying procedures” and “security sensitivity”.

The dispute has drawn Nepal deeper into the broader technological rivalry between Washington and China, turning Everest into an unexpected new arena in the global tech war.

Battle over Everest logistics sees geopolitical tensions grow

China — Nepal’s neighbour across the Himalayas — was the first country to establish a technological foothold on Everest. In 2024, China’s DJI FlyCart 30 drones were tested for carrying supplies for climbers, and after successful trials, DJI provided two drones to Nepalese company AirLift Technology to support logistics operations between Everest base camp and Camp I.

This year, DJI supplied AirLift with its newest FlyCart 100 drone even before its official commercial release. According to drone operators, the FlyCart 100 can carry up to 45 kilograms to Camp I in under three minutes.

“It can carry loads and return to the base camp, bringing down garbage, in about eight minutes. Sherpas need to walk six to seven hours to reach Camp I for the same work and take a whole day to get there and return,” Milan Pandey, the director of AirLift Technology, told the outlet.

Operators say the latest DJI drone can transport at least 10 oxygen cylinders in minutes and remove waste from Everest’s slopes, while Sherpas previously needed an entire day to complete the same task. On average, the FlyCart 100 now reportedly carries more than 900 kilograms of supplies to Camp I each day.

Tug-of-war over Kathmandu’s jewel

According to the article, analysts warn that Nepal is being placed in a difficult position as both China and the United States increasingly view the country’s terrain as a testing ground for sensitive technology.

“The fact that Nepalese officials have already flip-flopped their decision based on pressure from Beijing and Washington demonstrates how potentially fraught such a situation can be,” Steven Feldstein, senior fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Al Jazeera. “Given how critical a role drones are playing in the security landscape, this only ratchets up the stakes further.”

Drone usage on Everest has significantly reduced risks for Sherpas, who traditionally carry climbing equipment and supplies along dangerous mountain routes. Five Sherpas have already died this year before the official Everest climbing season even began.

Still, Nepalese security experts caution that foreign powers may be using aid and technological partnerships to expand their influence in the country.

“We easily accept their aid, without verifying what kind of technology they are providing,” said Binoj Basnyat, a retired major-general of the Nepalese army, who warned that such devices could potentially be used for surveillance.

“Orders should be as per our need. Permission should be given with due precaution,” he added.

Some expedition organizers believe Chinese objections may have influenced Nepal’s initial refusal to allow the US drone tests.

“China was aware of Trump’s men going to Nepal. They [Americans] went to the Everest base camp and showcased a new drone. That complicated the issue,” one expedition agency owner told Al Jazeera anonymously.

After expedition teams struggled with dangerous icefall conditions near Everest’s summit, operators urged the Nepalese government to reverse the restrictions on drone operations. The ban was eventually lifted on May 9, allowing China’s DJI FlyCart 100 to resume operations, while the US-made Alta X Gen 2 remains grounded at base camp.

Pandey said his company was unimpressed with the American drone after tests in Kathmandu reportedly showed it could carry only five kilograms at high altitudes. He also noted that the US system was significantly more expensive than the Chinese alternative.

Gao Liang, an associate fellow and vice director of Nepal Study Centre at China’s Sichuan University, argued that Beijing has no interest in turning Everest into a technological battleground.

“There is already a domestic consensus in Nepal that the United States’s geopolitical strategic interests in Nepal are primarily to use the country to advance America’s strategic goals against China,” he said. “Therefore, the so-called geopolitical complications largely originate from the US side, while China is only responding passively.”

By Nazrin Sadigova