Researchers Develop Light Yet Strong Drones Using Pineapple Leaves Researchers at the Putra University Malaysia have come up with a way to use fibers from pineapple leaves to make sturdy drone frames. According to the lead researchers, Mohamed Thariq and Hameed Sultan, the drones constructed using this method have a higher strength to weight ratio which gives the board systems better control. Moreover, since the frame is lighter than frames made with synthetic fibers, it consumes less energy which increases the range. On top of providing the obvious benefits for control systems, the pineapple frame drones are much cheaper and are eco-friendly. A damaged frame can be buried and the bio-composite material will degrade within two weeks. The researchers detailed that prototypes made from the material have flown to around 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) and, like many other drones, they can stay aloft for about 20 minutes.