The deadly flood and landslide that struck Nepal last week snapped bridges and roads and yanked out utility poles, abruptly cutting off transportation and communication for thousands.
As the search for more than 2,500 people continues, there’s also a rush to move food and other essentials to survivors on either side of the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli Rivers. There are about 10,000 households affected by the disaster, according to the United Nations.
One idea to deliver the aid: drones.
On Saturday afternoon, about a dozen private drone operators, army volunteers and police officers gathered on a patch of open ground in Devighat, an area in the central Nepali town of Bidur, to test whether the devices could be used to deliver critical supplies across the Trishuli River.
They were testing a drone that was roughly the size of a large dining table when its propellers were extended. It could carry up to 220 pounds.
Some of the testers were experienced commercial drone pilots who had dropped off packages high in the Himalayas. But the group trod cautiously, loading the drone with a payload of around 130 pounds before its first twirl in the sky.
The packages included rice, instant noodles, clothing and sanitary pads. Light rain slowed the work of attaching the goods to the drone with ropes and carabiners.
Drones of this size and capacity, which cost thousands of dollars, can climb thousands of feet, but the drone in the test flew much lower to the other side of the river. It did not land there but hovered as testers offloaded the goods. A round trip took about three minutes.
After its first successful trial, the testers congratulated one another. They ran the test a few more times, and their methods worked. They now plan to take their findings to the authorities, who can assess whether this type of drone delivery could accelerate humanitarian relief. Several other types and sizes of drones are already in use, including to deliver emergency rations to remote areas.
Speed is critical. The flood destroyed more than 35 bridges and damaged around 25 miles of roads, including sections of critical highways.
Nepal’s foreign minister, Swarnim Wagle, told Reuters that it more than $4 billion could be needed rebuild the destroyed infrastructure. To restore some connectivity, Nepal has requested portable bridges from other countries to assist with its emergency operations.
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