Heavy‑lift drone trial in Andorra validates mountain‑rescue vertical logistics

The Mirador del Roc del Quer, above Canillo, was the site of a two‑day validation exercise testing a heavy‑lift unmanned aircraft for mountain rescue and vertical logistics. The trial, led by The NeverRest Project with Aerofor, used a modified DJI Agras T100 heavy‑lifter to demonstrate delivery of critical supplies and support operations in locations difficult for ground teams or helicopters to reach.

Participants included representatives from Andorra’s Protecció Civil, the Red Cross, Bombers d’Andorra (the fire service) and the Automòbil Club d’Andorra (ACA). Climbers Alex Txikon and María Martín took part in a preparatory session, contributing field expertise on high‑altitude risk management. Organisers described the exercise as part of an international testing programme and a step toward deploying the system in Nepal’s Sagarmatha (Everest) region in 2026.

The platform was configured to carry roughly 100 kg of cargo — a figure cited by project leaders — with some participants noting potential higher lift under certain configurations. The NeverRest Project says the aircraft is intended to deliver life‑saving supplies such as oxygen, medication and thermal blankets, ferry rescue equipment to teams so they do not have to climb as heavily loaded, and in extreme cases could enable vertical evacuation of a person.

Project CEO Frédéric Kauffmann said the initiative was driven by a recent Himalayan rescue failure. He recalled an incident in which a climber, Natalia Nagovitsyna, could not be reached or resupplied by rescuers; “We flew a drone and could not get material to her… that day we failed,” he said, describing that event as the catalyst for accelerating research into vertical logistics.

Organisers framed the Canillo exercise as a validation of vertical‑logistics and aerial‑rescue concepts rather than the rollout of a finished operational system. The tests aimed to assess heavy‑load takeoff in demanding conditions, in‑flight cargo management, vertical evacuation procedures and coordination between the aircraft and ground teams.

Officials underlined current technical and legal limits. Kauffmann noted that lift capability falls with altitude and in cold conditions, and that the technology “is not ready for immediate deployment” at scale. Regulatory constraints also remain: existing rules in many jurisdictions prohibit carrying people by drone. Further trials will be needed to refine procedures, verify performance at higher altitudes and in harsher meteorological conditions, and address safety and liability questions.

Bombers director Jordi Farré said the device could be useful “in any place of difficult access” for delivering aid and initial assistance, and indicated the service — which already operates its own drones — would be among the first to request its use once permitted, without giving a timetable. ACA president Enric Tarrado noted the organisation has trained more than 100 drone pilots in Andorra and said industry and research are rapidly expanding drones’ operational roles in mountain rescue.

The Canillo validation joins a small number of international demonstrations exploring heavy‑lift drone involvement in life‑saving operations. Organisers said continued testing and regulatory work will determine whether and how such systems can be routinely integrated into mountain rescue.