World·PhotosWith 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.Drones being used to deliver aid, perform reconnaissance and help with rescue operationsThomson Reuters · Posted: Sep 09, 2026 11:37 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 2 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Technicians prepare a drone before it carries relief supplies to a flood-affected area in Trishuli, Nepal, on Sept. 4. (Prabin Ranabhat/AFP/Getty Images)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 farther downstream.A DJI FlyCart 100 drone carrying relief goods flies during an aid delivery mission to stranded residents hit by deadly flash floods and mudslides in Devighat, Nepal, on Sept. 8. (Joseph Campbell/Reuters)"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 ‌utilize, and we should prioritize them more," said Santosh Budhathoki, a contract drone pilot for the Nepal army.Drones are used over distances of three to four ⁠kilometres and can haul up to 60 kilograms at a time. They are already making an impact for ‌affected communities in dire need of aid, Budhathoki said.A drone carrying relief supplies to a flood-affected area is seen in Trishuli, Nepal, on Sept. 4. (Prabin Ranabhat/AFP/Getty Images)The army is now making around 10 to 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.A drone pilot uses his gear during an interview in Trishuli, Nepal, on Sept. 7. (Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty Images)"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.Police and rescuers use a drone to assess the ground situation after flash floods in Devighat, Nepal, on Aug. 29. (Rajesh Kumar Singh/The Associated Press)