Beijing: A mesmerizing video trending on social media showcases a Chinese drone’s incredible journey from the base camp to the summit of Mount Everest, soaring to an astonishing altitude of 29,032 feet. The footage, shared by Shenzhen-based drone manufacturer DJI, features their Mavic 3 Pro drone capturing stunning high-definition images of the majestic landscape below.
The video begins at an altitude of approximately 17,600 feet, with the drone taking off near the Base Camp on the southern side of the mountain in Nepal. As it ascends, viewers are treated to a bird’s-eye view of the perilous Khumbu Icefall, with its intricate maze of ice and crevasses. The drone also captures the snow-dusted tents scattered across the landscape, marking the locations of Camp I and Camp II.
One of the highlights of the footage is the panoramic view of the Western Cwm, a vast glacial valley situated at around 20,000 feet. The drone’s 4K resolution camera provides a crystal-clear view of mountaineers climbing in single file, making their way past the third and final camps before reaching the summit.
This remarkable achievement brings to mind the historic first ascent of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa. On May 29, 1953, the New Zealander and his Nepalese guide reached the summit as part of a British expedition led by John Hunt. Their successful climb paved the way for thousands of adventurers to attempt the daring feat of reaching the “Roof of the World.”
For this year’s spring climbing season, which runs from April to early June, Nepal has issued 414 permits to mountaineers. Each climber is typically accompanied by a Nepali guide, meaning that over 800 individuals will be making the arduous trek to the summit in the coming weeks.
In a significant development, China has reopened the Tibetan route to foreign climbers for the first time since it was closed in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The northern summit route was officially opened earlier in May, as confirmed by social media posts from expedition organizers.
