Uttam Pudasaini of Nepal Flying Labs and Raj Bikram Maharjan of Airlift Technology speak about the response and what Nepal needs before the next disaster.
October 2nd, 2026
By Tanzania Flying Labs and Nepal Flying Labs
When catastrophic floods struck near the Nepal–China border on 26 August 2026, roads and bridges were swept away and communities were cut off. Within hours, local drone pilots were mobilizing to help assess the damage, support search teams, and deliver essential supplies.
In this special edition of the Ground Truth Podcast, host Leka Tingitana of Tanzania Flying Labs speaks with Uttam Pudasaini, co-founder of Nepal Flying Labs, and Raj Bikram Maharjan, co-founder of Airlift Technology, about the response and what Nepal needs before the next disaster.
Uttam describes mapping teams travelling by helicopter to affected areas. Their drones captured detailed imagery while cloud cover limited optical satellite views. Comparing images taken before and after the flood also helped rescuers locate buried tunnel entrances and decide where to begin digging.
Raj’s team used heavy-lift drones to carry food, medicines, power banks, and blankets to communities that could no longer be reached by road. Some missions involved transporting deceased people across the river while helicopters prioritised rescuing living people.
The response demanded coordination. Pilots worked with the equipment available, which was not always suited to the task. Helicopters and drones shared crowded airspace, while families approached pilots directly to search for missing relatives.
Behind these operations were years of local capacity building. Following the 2015 earthquake, international teams brought drones to Nepal. Their eventual departure highlighted the need for expertise that would remain. That realization helped shape Nepal Flying Labs. Raj later connected with Nepal Flying Labs and WeRobotics through a drone business competition that helped him take the first steps towards Airlift Technology.
The conversation also explores why early warnings must help people act. An alert needs to communicate the scale of danger, where safety lies, and how to get there. Moving upstairs may be inadequate when evacuation away from the river is necessary.
Recovery brings equally difficult decisions. “We are not just going to shift the houses, right? We need to shift the homes,” Uttam reflects. Relocation involves livelihoods, farmland, businesses and relationships. It requires decisions made with communities, alongside technical expertise.
Both guests call for sustained investment in equipment, coordination, policies, and local institutions. Their experience shows why disaster preparedness must begin long before an emergency and why the people already there need lasting support.
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Ground Truth features conversations with local experts across the Flying Labs Network. Accounts reflect the situation at the time of recording.
