Malaysian group turns pineapple waste into components that can be disposed of by drones

 

The researchers said that drones made of bio-composite materials have a higher strength-to-weight ratio than those made from synthetic fibers.

pineapple field

Malaysian researchers have developed a method for converting the fibers in naturally discarded pineapple leaves to create a strong material that can be used to build UAV or UAV structures.

 The project, led by Professor Muhammad Thureeq Hamid Sultan at the University of Putra Malaysia, is trying to discover sustainable benefit from pineapple residues produced by farmers in Hulu Langat,an area about 65 kilometers (40 miles) from Kuala Lumpur.

"We are converting the pineapple leaf into fibers that can be used in space applications, by inventing an unmanned aircraft," he told Reuters in a workshop.

Mohamed Tariq said that drones made of biocomposites have a higher strength-to-weight ratio than those made of synthetic fibers, and are cheaper, lighter, and easier to dispose of.

If the drone was damaged, he said, it could bury the tire in the ground and degrade within two weeks.

He added that the prototype UAV was able to fly at an altitude of about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) and stay in the air for about 20 minutes.

Ultimately, the search crew hopes to create a large unmanned aircraft to accommodate the large payloads, including imaging sensors, for agricultural and air inspections.

"Our role here is to help industry and farmers increase their production and make their jobs a lot easier," said William Robert Alves of the Malaysian Drone Activists Association, a non-governmental group that helps design and advise on the drone. The project.

Before launching the project once in 2017, pineapple stalks were discarded after a lengthy harvest within one year, but farmers hope the drone project will inspire greater innovation to create waste benefits and amplify income.

Pineapple farmer Irwan Ismail said: "With regard to the problem of fitness, the hardship of the economic machine due to the Corona virus, society is designed and there is no option to inflate income."

Drone