Researchers in Malaysia have developed a technology to convert the fibre found in discarded pineapple leaves or pineapple waste into material for constructing drones' frames.

The project has been headed by professor Mohamed Thariq Hameed Sultan of Universiti Putra Malaysia.

According to the media reports, professor Hameed, since the last few years, was trying to find sustainable uses of pineapple waste generated by farmers in Hulu Langat- about 65 km from Kuala Lumpur.

Speaking to the media, professor Hameed informed that he and his team have been converting pineapple waste into a fibre, which can be applied in unmanned aircraft or drones.

He informed that drones made out of the bio-composite material had a higher strength-to-weight ratio than those made from synthetic fibres.

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Moreover, he said, such drones were cheaper, lighter and easier to dispose of and once the drone gets damaged then the frame could be buried in the ground as well.

The frames, he further said, degrade within a span of 15-20 days.

It may be mentioned here that the prototype drones flew to a height of around 1,000 metres and stayed in the air for around 20 minutes.

The team under professor Hameed aims to create larger drones so that bigger payloads including imagery sensors for agricultural purposes and aerial inspections could be accommodated.

The sole purpose behind this invention, according to the team, is to help the farmers and make their jobs easier and earnings more.

It's worth mentioning here that professor Hameed's team is being helped by the Malaysian Unmanned Drones Activist Society in designing the drone.

Pineapple farmers hope that the invention would provide them with an alternative source of income as now they could sell the pineapple stems, which earlier were discarded after the harvest period was over.