Chinese researchers have successfully conducted the first test flight of a drone with wings made of composite materials based on bamboo fibres. This move is a preparation for the use of more sustainable and less expensive materials in aircraft manufacturing.
The Chinese Xinhua News Agency reported that this aircraft, which was developed and tested in the city of Tianjin, is considered the world’s first model of a fixed-wing aircraft that uses bamboo of this size in its structure. This came after a series of extensive technical tests to ensure its compatibility with atmospheric standards, according to interestingengineering.
The new aircraft has a wingspan of about 2.5 metres, and a weight of about 7 kilograms. It can take off and land vertically, fly at speeds exceeding 100 kilometers per hour, and be able to remain in the air for more than an hour.
The research team reports that the aircraft is more than 20% lighter than similar aircraft made of carbon fiber, and can reduce structural costs by more than 20%.
This is due to the use of a new bamboo-based composite material instead of carbon fiber fabrics common in the drone industry, which are highly durable but require a lot of energy to produce and are difficult to decompose environmentally.
The researchers explain that the cost of bamboo composite materials is about a quarter of the cost of traditional carbon fiber fabrics, opening the door to a significant reduction in the cost of drone production. According to the International Bamboo and Rattan Center, more than 25 percent of the aircraft’s structure is made of bamboo-based composite materials, including the outer shell, making it the first fixed-wing drone to use this material on this scale.
The International Bamboo and Rattan Center, the Ningbo Innovation Institute of Beihang University, and Long Bamboo Technology Company participated in developing the aircraft.
Project leader Chen Daochun said that developing bamboo-based composite materials for drones was not an easy task, as it required overcoming multiple technical challenges related to molding processes and the ability to adapt to different environmental conditions.
He explained that the team conducted more than 100 experiments in accordance with airworthiness standards, focusing on testing the strength, durability, and formability of the aircraft components.
He added that the final material combines high strength, hardness, and good shaping ability, which allowed it to meet the required aviation standards. The team also worked to improve the production chain, starting from selecting raw bamboo to manufacturing the outer shell of the aircraft.
Flight test results published by China Green Times indicate that the aircraft met the required standards in terms of mechanical strength, modulus of elasticity, endurance, flight stability and impact resistance.
The project developers see this drone as an important step towards expanding the use of green materials in what is known as China’s “low-altitude economy”, which includes the use of drones in areas such as logistics, agriculture and environmental monitoring.
Lian Jianchang, president of Long Bamboo Technology, said the company intends to focus on the lightweight, environmentally friendly and biodegradable properties of bamboo materials, with the expectation of expanding its uses into other fields such as new energy vehicles and marine equipment.
Experts have confirmed that these materials may extend beyond the uses of drones in the future to include structural components of small satellites or light structures for spacecraft, thanks to their strength, rigidity, and ability to reduce vibrations. (24)
