Embodiments herein describe UAVs that utilize tail boom assemblies from pre-existing aircraft designs as lift generating elements. In one embodiment, a UAV includes a fuselage having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a first tail boom coupler disposed at the first end, and a second tail boom coupler disposed at the second end. Each of the first tail boom coupler and the second tail boom coupler are configured to mechanically couple with a plurality of tail boom assemblies procured from a pre-existing aircraft design.

A panel (1000) for a cabin of an aircraft, the panel (1000) including a laminate (150) with a first layer formed of lithiated carbon fibers (100), a second layer form of carbon fibers with a cathode lithium coating (200), and an electrolyte-containing separator (300) interposed between the first and the second layers and a pressure sensor (50a, 50b) on an outer surface of the laminate (150), and a switch (40) to regulate a voltage to the laminate (150) based on an output of the pressure sensor (50a, 50b) so that the panel (1000) expands.

An aircraft propulsion plant including an electric motor having a rotor and a stator mechanically linked to a base which can be mounted at the rear of an aircraft fuselage, a fan rotated by the rotor, a set of fixed blades located downstream of the fan, and a nacelle comprising an outer casing and a fan casing surrounding the fan and the set of fixed blades. The nacelle is mechanically linked to the base through the set of fixed blades. This configuration enables a cooling circuit to be formed for enabling the heat produced by the electric motor at the location of the stator to be evacuated towards the fixed blades and the nacelle where it is dissipated. Furthermore, this heat may be used for the de-icing of the nacelle lip.

An electrical arrangement on an aircraft fuselage has a fuselage component, an electrical consumer and a conductive electrical connection element. The connection element extends outwardly through an opening in the fuselage component and may have a bearing section on an inside or outside of the fuselage component that is arranged so as to tap or feed a voltage pole. The electrical connection element is electrically insulated from the opening and the fuselage component and is able to be connected to a voltage supply arranged on the inside. The electrical consumer is arranged on the outside of the fuselage component and is electrically connected to that part of the connection element projecting towards the outside of the fuselage.

A method for fabricating a composite wing structural component for an aircraft is described. The method comprises extruding a filler material into each mold channel of a plurality of mold channels of a die to form a plurality of filler segments, removing the plurality of filler segments from the plurality of mold channels of the die, and arranging the plurality of filler segments in a space in the composite structural component, the space being defined by a radius of the composite structural component, such that the filler segments are in end-to-end contact. The method further comprises curing the plurality of filler segments in the space to fuse the plurality of filler segments.

A system for modular aircraft includes at least a common component, wherein the at least a common component includes at least a flight component. The system includes at least a modular component, wherein the at least modular component includes at least a fuselage component and a collar component. The system includes at least an interface component, wherein the at least an interface component is configured to connect the at least a common component at a first end to the at least a modular component at a second end.

A process for producing a polymeric stiffened sheet-like component, for example a panel, for aircraft construction. Production includes integration of hollow stiffening profiles, for example closed omega stringers, onto a sheet-like component, for example an external skin, where the stringers and external skin are produced from thermoplastic composite material. The stringers are integrated onto the external skin by establishing contact between the stringers and the external skin and melting thermoplastic composite material with exposure to heat and pressure at the areas of contact between external skin and stringers. Melting of the other sections of the stringers is avoided with a pressurized cooling fluid with a temperature significantly below the melting point of thermoplastic composite material, the fluid flowing through the airtight enclosed space in the stringers. Use of closed airtight thermoplastic omega stringers allows integration of the stringers onto the external skin in absence of any flexible tube within the stringers.

A package delivery system uses unmanned aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL configuration and wing-borne lift in a forward flight configuration. Each of the aircraft includes an airframe having at least one wing with a distributed thrust array coupled to the airframe. The distributed thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies configured to provide vertical thrust in the VTOL configuration and a plurality of propulsion assemblies configured to provide forward thrust in the forward flight configuration. A package delivery module is coupled to the airframe. A control system is operably associated with the distributed thrust array and the package delivery module. The control system is configured to individually control each of the propulsion assemblies and control package release operations of the package delivery module. The system includes a ground station configured to remotely communicate with the control systems of the aircraft during package delivery missions.

A method for manufacturing a one-piece reinforced structure and obtained structure is provided, the method using base components made of partially-cured composite material and joining the base components together, applying a coating made of composite material on the base components, and applying heat on the assembly formed by the base components covered with the coating until a complete curing of the assembly is obtained, such that a one-piece reinforced structure made of composite material is obtained formed by the coating and the base components adhered to the coating, wherein the base components that form part of the very manufactured structure act as a mould during the manufacturing process, thus preventing the need to use moulds on which the composite material is deposited that must be subsequently removed from the final obtained structure.

A method for manufacturing a one-piece reinforced structure and obtained structure is provided, the method using base components made of partially-cured composite material and joining the base components together, applying a coating made of composite material on the base components, and applying heat on the assembly formed by the base components covered with the coating until a complete curing of the assembly is obtained, such that a one-piece reinforced structure made of composite material is obtained formed by the coating and the base components adhered to the coating, wherein the base components that form part of the very manufactured structure act as a mould during the manufacturing process, thus preventing the need to use moulds on which the composite material is deposited that must be subsequently removed from the final obtained structure.