DJI is back at the top of the world — literally. In a jaw-dropping new video, the drone giant has unveiled an uninterrupted aerial ascent of Mount Everest, captured in a single take by the Mavic 4 Pro. Starting from the North Col Glacier at 6,500 meters (the point where technical climibing equipment is first required) and soaring to 8,800 meters near the summit, the footage redefines what’s possible for drones in extreme environments.
This latest cinematic masterpiece follows DJI’s earlier viral success with the Mavic 3 Pro, which offered a segmented but stunning look at Everest’s treacherous climbing route. But this time, it’s all one breathtaking take, elevating not just drone storytelling, but the capabilities of DJI’s newest drone.
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A filmmaker’s dream, years in the making
Photographer and drone pilot Ma Chunlin, the man behind the camera, calls this “my most demanding Himalayan film project to date.”
“During Everest’s narrow climbing window of mere weeks, I trekked from Base Camp to the Devil’s Camp at 6,500m,” Ma recalls. “While surviving oxygen-starved -25°C nights, I simultaneously tracked three critical elements: perfect weather (clear and windless), real-time climber positions, and sunrise timing — calculated to the minute.”
Timing was everything. “The shoot had to launch precisely on schedule while strictly following climbing trajectories,” Ma says. “One misstep would have been equal to one year lost.”
Ma’s earlier film, Forward, Everest!, captured the China-side ascent in segments. “For this true continuous shot, I battled failures across multiple expeditions,” he explains. “After years of grit, the Everest goddess finally granted her blessing.”
Engineering a drone to survive Everest
The Mavic 4 Pro’s ability to complete such a flight is nothing short of astonishing. At altitudes above 8,000 meters, oxygen is scarce, winds are vicious, and temperatures plunge to -30°F. To make the drone airborne, DJI likely disabled its factory-set elevation limitations and tweaked propeller speeds to generate enough lift in the thin air.
Battery drain and risk of propeller icing are serious threats at such temperatures, demanding meticulous pre-flight planning. But the Mavic 4 Pro powered through it all, flying the entire route without a single break in footage — a feat few drones, if any, have ever achieved.
Sadly for US drone pilots, the Mavic 4 Pro isn’t available stateside. DJI’s latest and arguably most advanced prosumer drone remains absent from the US market amid mounting scrutiny from lawmakers and import challenges.
And that’s a shame. Because beyond this Everest flight, the Mavic 4 Pro offers significant upgrades in camera tech, obstacle avoidance, and extreme-condition performance — features that US pilots can only admire from afar.
DJI’s Everest operations go beyond aerial cinematography
While Ma’s video showcases DJI’s flair for storytelling, the company’s Everest efforts aren’t just for the screen. DJI is also helping climbers and conservationists solve real-world problems on the world’s tallest mountain.
Last summer, DJI’s FlyCart 30 drone became the first to deliver supplies from Everest Base Camp to Camp 1 at 5,300 meters. In a few months, the drone was back — this time hauling over 500 kilograms of trash back down as part of Nepal’s Clean Himalaya campaign.
These missions show the potential of cargo drones in extreme environments — transporting oxygen, food, and even waste where helicopters can’t safely go.
Whether it’s a stunning one-shot flight to 8,800 meters or hauling trash off dangerous slopes, DJI is proving its drones are more than cinematic toys — they’re powerful tools built to perform under the harshest conditions on Earth.
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