Nepal uses drones to deliver flood relief

With roads and bridges destroyed and helicopters busy with search and rescue operations after last month's devastating floods, Nepal’s army is turning to drones to deliver relief to displaced people.

At least 1,367 people are confirmed dead and more than 5,000 are missing in Nepal since a Himalayan glacier broke off near the Nepal-China border in late August and caused devastation along rivers further downstream.

“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 utilise, and we should prioritise them more,” said Santosh Budhathoki, a contract drone pilot for the Nepal army.

Drones are used over distances of up to 3 to 4 kilometres (2 to 2.5 miles) and can haul up to 60 kilograms (132 lbs) at a time and they are already making an impact for affected communities in dire need of aid, he said.

The army is now making around 10-16 aid deliveries a day with a fleet of four DJI FlyCart 100 drones, all donated from China as part of a recent aid package.

In addition to aid delivery, drones have also been used to move the bodies of flood victims in some affected areas, while reconnaissance drones have also been heavily used in search and rescue operations.

“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.

“Nepal has this geography, this terrain where drones would be really faster, quicker and cheaper,” Pandey said.

-Reporting and writing by Joseph Campbell; Editing by Toby Chopra/Reuters