

Ask HN: Why can't we drop satellite phones into Nepal? - porker

Listening to the BBC News this evening, one of the big challenges dealing with the earthquake in Nepal is not knowing what&#x27;s going on in remote areas.<p>So why are the aid agencies not dropping satellite phones (preferably with one simple button to make a call to the aid agency), using drones or - going back to WW2 technology - doing parachute drops of essential supplies to remote areas?<p>Lack of money, lack of technology, or unworkable?
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MalcolmDiggs
That's an interesting question. Do you happen to have a link to the segment
you were listening to? If not, could you clarify what you mean by "not knowing
what's going on"? Was the problem a lack of physical access (terrain issues),
or a lack of realtime satellite images (weather issues), or a lack of actual
communication mechanisms, or other?

~~~
porker
I don't see a way to link to the segment (full programme at
[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05rkpzf](http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05rkpzf)
\- Nepal is the first 10 minutes).

The problem is firstly a lack of actual communication mechanisms, as the
telephone network has been knocked out, and then I believe a lack of physical
access, as the earthquake has blocked and destroyed roads, so they can't get
the aid out of Kathmandu into the remote areas by lorry.

Aid is backing up at the airport and airports in neighbouring countries; I
look at the technology bandied around on HN and wonder why it (or the previous
generation) cannot be used on the ground to help.

