A vehicle body may have an internal skeleton, and a skin fabricated in-situ over the internal skeleton. The skin may include a matrix material, and a plurality of continuous fibers encased within the matrix material. The plurality of continuous fibers may include at least one electrically conductive wire interwoven with others of the plurality of continuous fibers. The at least one electrically conductive wire may be configured to function as at least one of a heater and a strain gauge.

A vehicle body may have an internal skeleton forming a wing shape and a fuselage shape, and a skin fabricated in-situ over the internal skeleton. The skin may include a matrix material, and a plurality of continuous fibers at least partially coated with the matrix material. The plurality of continuous fibers may extend from the wing shape over the fuselage shape.

A vehicle body may have a skeleton formed by a plurality of overlapping layers bonded to each other. Each of the plurality of overlapping layers may be fabricated from a continuous fiber coated with a matrix material. A trajectory of the continuous fiber may be different between adjacent layers of the plurality of overlapping layers.

A vehicle body may have an internal skeleton, and a skin formed over the internal skeleton. The skin may include a matrix material, and a plurality of continuous fibers encased within the matrix material. At least one of the plurality of continuous fibers is in tension and has differing levels of tension along its length.

A vehicle body may have an internal skeleton, and a skin fabricated in-situ over the internal skeleton. The internal skeleton may be fabricated via a first additive manufacturing system. The skin may be fabricated via a second additive manufacturing system that is different from the first additive manufacturing system.

An aircraft for the autonomous aerial delivery of a load to a target location, the aircraft comprising an airframe having at least one adjustable control structure for controlling the flight of the aircraft and a main body adapted to receive a load a self-contained control module releaseably connected to the airframe, the control module containing an actuator for adjusting the control structure and a controller for producing an electrical drive signal for controlling the actuator; and at least one linkage extending from the control module to the at least one adjustable control structure so as to operably connect the control module to the at least one adjustable control structure, wherein the actuator of the control module is adapted to adjust the at least one adjustable control structure using the at least one linkage so as to control the flight of the aircraft and to steer the aircraft to the target location.

An aerial delivery assembly for autonomously delivering a load to a target location, the assembly comprising an airframe which comprises a main body, at least one deployable lift providing structure, the lift providing structure being moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position; and at least one deployable and adjustable control structure for controlling the flight of the assembly and moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The main body comprises a compartment for receiving a load to be delivered. The assembly further comprises a control unit comprising an actuation module for use in adjusting the control structure, wherein the control unit is releaseably connected to the airframe such that it is reusable in an aerial delivery assembly having a different airframe.

A plugged stringer on a surface of a part, and a method and assembly for production of the plugged stringer. The plug has opposite first and second axial end faces. The plug also has a radially outer margin defined by a radially outer bottom face, radially outer first and second opposite side faces, and a radially outer top face. The plugged stringer also includes a covering overlaying the radially outer top face and the first and second opposite side faces of the plug and extending away from the plug along an axis to form a stringer having first and second segments delineated by the plug. The radially outer margin of the plug is at least partly covered by an adhesive. The radially outer bottom face is adhered to the surface of the part, and the covering is adhered to the radially outer first and second opposite side faces and the radially outer top face. The first and second segments of the stringer respectively define first and second fluid passages separated by the plug. The first fluid passage is fluidly isolated from the second fluid passage by the plug.

At least one protective layer made of vanadium oxide is located on a body of an air and/or space vehicle. The protective layer has conductive or insulating properties at a temperature predetermined by the user.

A device for absorbing energy by compression including several first conduits spaced apart from one another and oriented in a compression direction and joining walls which are parallel to the compression direction and connect the first conduits so as to delimit, with the latter, at least one second conduit. This solution makes it possible to absorb a greater quantity of energy. An aircraft including at least one such device for absorbing energy is also disclosed.