Key Points: A new sustainable material that combines durability and environmental- friendly drones in agricultural sector
Tokyo, May 29, 2025 – Terra Drone Corporation, the leading drone service provider, is pleased to announce that its subsidiary, Terra Drone Indonesia, has co-developed a drone airframe cover suitable for agricultural use in the palm oil industry, in collaboration with advanced materials developer Midwest Composites. Following the development, the cover has now officially entered deployment in the field. The product replaces conventional plastic covers and is made from a bio-composite material that can reduce CO₂ emissions during manufacturing by up to 73.2% (1). It delivers high durability even in the harsh agricultural environments of tropical regions, achieving both lower environmental impact and stable field performance.
Environmental Challenges in the Palm Oil Industry and the Role of Drones
The palm oil industry, which continues to expand primarily across Southeast Asia, faces significant environmental challenges such as deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. Against this background, Terra Drone Indonesia has been providing drone-based pesticide spraying services. Compared to manual spraying, drone-based application reduces the risk of chemical exposure for workers and enables efficient use of pesticides with minimal quantities. As a result, it contributes to increased yield per oil palm tree and, from a broader perspective, supports environmental conservation by helping to prevent unnecessary deforestation.
As part of these efforts, Terra Drone Indonesia has been working with Midwest to introduce a bio-composite material made from renewable natural fibers for use in agricultural drone airframe covers. In February 2025, the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for R&D collaboration, with Midwest responsible for material development and molding, and Terra Drone Indonesia conducting flight tests and structural evaluations. As a result, the material successfully met the dual requirements of durability and environmental performance in the agricultural field, leading to its official deployment.
Key Features of the Bio-Composite Drone Cover
The drone cover is a critical component that protects the airframe and onboard electronic systems, such as batteries, sensors, and GPS units, from external impact, rain, and direct sunlight. In agricultural applications, drones are often exposed to extreme conditions including high temperatures, humidity, and intense sunlight, which demand high durability. Under such conditions, conventional plastic covers are prone to deformation and cracking, increasing the risk of electronic failure.
To address these issues, a bio-composite material made from renewable natural fibers such as EFB (Empty Fruit Bunch) (2), jute, and kenaf has been adopted. This material offers superior flexibility, weather resistance, and structural strength compared to traditional plastics, making it suitable for long-term use even in tropical environments. It effectively protects the electronic components on board, reduces the risk of failures in the field, and contributes to lower maintenance workloads. Additionally, the material is expected to deliver significant environmental improvements, including a reduction of up to 73.2% in CO₂ emissions during production.
Wilson Ong, Terra Drone Agri Country Manager stated: “This collaboration with Midwest Composites delivers industrial-grade drone components that are not only tougher but also significantly more sustainable. It reflects our commitment to helping plantation companies modernize with smarter, more environmentally responsible technologies.”
Sethu Raaj M, CEO of Midwest Composites stated: “The agricultural sector is under growing pressure to improve sustainability without sacrificing performance. By integrating bio-composites like EFB, Jute, and Kenaf into drone technology, we’re proving that eco-friendly materials can outperform conventional ones in both durability and functionality. This partnership with Terra Agri marks a crucial step toward greener, large-scale agricultural operations.”
Editor’s Notes:
1 Based on Midwest’s internal research.
2 Empty Fruit Bunch – Fibers derived from the residue left after extracting fruit from oil palm fruit bunches.
About Midwest Composites
Midwest Composites is a company specializing in the development of advanced composite materials that support sustainability, performance, and operational efficiency. With over 20 years of experience in R&D, product development, and manufacturing across Malaysia, the United States, Japan, and India, the company provides materials and technologies that enhance on-site productivity while minimizing environmental impact—from material development to commercialization. For more information, please visit: https://www.midwestcomposites.com.my/
About Terra Agri
Terra Agri serves as the agricultural services arm of Terra Drone Corporation. We offer crop intelligence and plantation control systems to monitor site conditions, utilizing aerial and ground information, including topography, crop health, soil quality, rainfall, and farm operations activity. We focus on streamlining and digitizing agricultural processes, employing drone technology for efficient spraying and mapping throughout production cycles. For more information, please visit https://terra-droneagri.com/
About Terra Drone Indonesia
Terra Drone Indonesia is a subsidiary of the Terra Drone Corporation and a provider of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) services, operating in the surveying, inspection, and agriculture sectors across Southeast Asia. In addition to drone-based mapping, modeling, inspection, monitoring, and pesticide/fertilizer spraying, it also provides training and consulting services for businesses utilizing drones.
We also offer “Terra Agri,” a drone-based agricultural service focused primarily in Indonesia, which includes pesticide spraying and mapping. In our agricultural operations, we have conducted flights over a cumulative area of more than 200,000 hectares, with up to 4,000 flights per day. Through high-precision pesticide spraying, we have achieved up to a 30% reduction in costs and have deployed over 150 drones to date.For more information, please visit https://terra-drone.co.id/
About Terra Drone Corporation
Terra Drone Corporation, headquartered in Japan, is a global leader in drone and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) solutions. Dedicated to the mission of “Unlock ‘X’ Dimensions”, the company is committed to creating a prosperous future by “crossing” bridges—integrating diverse fields to foster innovation and find solutions. Specializing in surveying, inspections, agriculture, and UAS Traffic Management (UTM), Terra Drone serves industries such as oil and gas, construction, chemicals, energy, and agriculture.
With a portfolio of over 3,000 completed projects worldwide, Terra Drone has achieved significant milestones in the drone operations field. In July 2023, the company acquired a majority stake in Unifly, a world-leading provider of UTM platform, with deployments in over eight countries, followed by an investment in U.S.-based Aloft Technologies in February 2024, further expanding its capabilities in UTM.Terra Drone was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market (Stock Code: 278A) on November 29, 2024. It also secured top spot in Global Drone Service Provider Rankings for 2024.
Recognized by Drone Industry Insights as one of the top three industrial drone service providers globally for five consecutive years, Terra Drone aims to build the digital infrastructure necessary to unlock the full potential of drones and AAM solutions. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.terra-drone.net
Media Contact:
PR Team, Terra Drone Corporation
Tel: +81-3-6419-7193
Email: pr@terra-drone.co.jp
