Today, we’re seeing drones come in all shapes and sizes -- we’ve seen drones large enough to carry missiles and cargo without putting the life of any human in danger.
We’ve also seen tiny nano spy drones that can help soldiers with their recon missions without being spotted.
We’ve also seen commercial drones of various sizes and form factors that help people capture picturesque images and videos from beautiful and high vantage points. But one thing all these drones have in common is that they’re not made of the most environmentally friendly materials.
Drones are most susceptible to getting lost, and when this happens, even though the owner of the drone truly feels the pain of losing an expensive piece of equipment, the plastics and batteries on the body of the drone don’t really biodegrade and end up harming the environment.
However, a group of researchers in Malaysia have found a way to end this, by creating biodegradable drone frames using pineapple leaves.
Yes, it sounds quite random, however, Professor Mohamed Thariq Hameed Sultan of Putra University said in a conversation with Reuters that they looked at pineapple leaves as farmers were often known to burn them after harvest which resulted in severe air pollution. Putting the waste leaves in use will not only help them earn more but also save the environment.
Their novel method of creating drones using these leaves have actually resulted in the drones to possess a higher strength to weight ratio compared to the plastic or synthetic fibre frames that are seen on a commercial drone. What’s more, they’re cheaper to produce and are even lighter.
Experimental drones made of the new material have been able to fly up to about 1,000 meters and stay in the air for about 20 minutes, he added. If the drone is damaged, the frame can be buried in the ground and will fully break down within two weeks, he said.
The research team hopes to create a larger drone that is more profitable to sell. It would include sensors for agricultural purposes and to take pictures.
The Malaysian Unmanned Drones Activist Society is a non-governmental group helping to design the drone and advising on the project. William Robert Alvisse is a member of the group. He said: “Our role here is to help the industry, the farmers, to increase their yield and make their jobs much easier.”
Farmers hope that the new use for pineapple leaves will lead to higher incomes for themselves and their families.
Experimental drones made of the new material have been able to fly up to about 1,000 meters and stay in the air for about 20 minutes, he added. If the drone is damaged, the frame can be buried in the ground and will fully break down within two weeks, he said.
The research team hopes to create a larger drone that is more profitable to sell. It would include sensors for agricultural purposes and to take pictures.
The Malaysian Unmanned Drones Activist Society is a non-governmental group helping to design the drone and advising on the project. William Robert Alvisse is a member of the group. He said: “Our role here is to help the industry, the farmers, to increase their yield and make their jobs much easier.”
Farmers hope that the new use for pineapple leaves will lead to higher incomes for themselves and their families.
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