A drone for replacing a removeable device can include a drone body with at least three lift-generating rotors spaced apart from the drone body and operating in concert that provide lift sufficient to propel the drone in at least six directions. The drone can include a first bay attached to the drone body, the first bay comprising a first mounting mechanism to dismount a first removeable device from a device receptacle and to securely stow the first removeable device. The drone can also include a second bay attached to the drone body comprising a second mounting mechanism to stow a second removeable device and to mount the second removeable device on the device receptacle.

An aircraft including at least one hold configured to store containers along at least one storage line, and at least one opening configured to provide a passage between the hold and the exterior of the aircraft, the opening being positioned in vertical alignment with the storage line or in line with the storage line. The hold comprises at least one loading and unloading device comprising at least one carriage, at least one guiding system configured to move the carriage along the storage line, at least one spreader equipped with at least one system for grasping the containers, and at least one vertical movement system that is configured to move the spreader vertically with respect to the carriage.

An aircraft including at least one hold configured to store containers along at least one storage line, and at least one opening configured to provide a passage between the hold and the exterior of the aircraft, the opening being positioned in vertical alignment with the storage line or in line with the storage line. The hold comprises at least one loading and unloading device comprising at least one carriage, at least one guiding system configured to move the carriage along the storage line, at least one spreader equipped with at least one system for grasping the containers, and at least one vertical movement system that is configured to move the spreader vertically with respect to the carriage.

An aircraft including a fuselage, an aircraft fuselage end cargo door, and a fuselage end cargo door mechanism. The aircraft fuselage end cargo door couples to the fuselage at a major joint line. The fuselage end cargo door mechanism including a hinge rotatably coupling an aircraft fuselage end cargo door to a fuselage, the hinge being coupled to both the aircraft fuselage end cargo door and the fuselage so that an axis of rotation of the aircraft fuselage end cargo door, defined by the hinge, relative to the fuselage is located forward of a major joint line between the aircraft fuselage end cargo door and the fuselage, wherein an uppermost portion of the major joint line comprises a joint line radius where a portion of the joint line radius formed by the aircraft fuselage end cargo door pivots within another portion of the joint line radius formed by the fuselage.

A cargo module swapping system for an electronic short take-off and landing aerial vehicle, including an autonomously driven robotic vehicle for transporting and swapping cargo modules on an autonomous electric aircraft. The robotic vehicle has two or more robotic arms for controlled material handling and manipulation, each configured to install, remove, and replace cargo bins directly onto the aft end of a forward portion of a central fuselage of an electric short take-off and landing (ESTOL) aircraft. The cargo bins are configured to function as the aft portion of the aircraft central fuselage.

An aircraft has an aft main cargo cabin with a low deck floor, and a rear access configured to provide access to the aft main cargo cabin from behind the fuselage. The deck floor of the aft main cargo cabin is lower than a first deck floor of a forward main cabin of a forward section of the fuselage. The aft main cargo cabin has a second height that is greater than the first height of the forward main cabin, allowing the aft main cargo cabin to accommodate oversize cargo with larger dimension(s). The aircraft may be built with such an aft main cargo cabin and rear access, or may be a modified aircraft that includes such an aft main cargo cabin and rear access. Related methods of reconfiguring a base aircraft into a modified aircraft having such an aft main cargo cabin and rear access are also disclosed.

An aircraft has an aft main cargo cabin with a low deck floor, and a rear access configured to provide access to the aft main cargo cabin from behind the fuselage. The deck floor of the aft main cargo cabin is lower than a first deck floor of a forward main cabin of a forward section of the fuselage. The aft main cargo cabin has a second height that is greater than the first height of the forward main cabin, allowing the aft main cargo cabin to accommodate oversize cargo with larger dimension(s). The aircraft may be built with such an aft main cargo cabin and rear access, or may be a modified aircraft that includes such an aft main cargo cabin and rear access. Related methods of reconfiguring a base aircraft into a modified aircraft having such an aft main cargo cabin and rear access are also disclosed.

A locking system for fixing at least one transport unit for cargo items in an aircraft. The locking system includes a plurality of locking devices and at least one actuating device. Each locking device has at least one locking element for fixing and releasing the transport unit at least one predetermined position and is displaceable in a displacement direction between a fixing position and a release position. The at least one actuating device has at least one actuating unit for initiating an actuating movement and at least one sliding unit for displacing the locking element. The actuating unit is connected to the sliding unit for transmitting the actuating movement by means of at least one transmission section extending transversely to the displacement direction. The sliding unit is mechanically coupled to the locking element to transmit the actuating movement and to move the locking element between the fixing position and the release position.

A locking system for fixing at least one transport unit for cargo items in an aircraft. The locking system includes a plurality of locking devices and at least one actuating device. Each locking device has at least one locking element for fixing and releasing the transport unit at least one predetermined position and is displaceable in a displacement direction between a fixing position and a release position. The at least one actuating device has at least one actuating unit for initiating an actuating movement and at least one sliding unit for displacing the locking element. The actuating unit is connected to the sliding unit for transmitting the actuating movement by means of at least one transmission section extending transversely to the displacement direction. The sliding unit is mechanically coupled to the locking element to transmit the actuating movement and to move the locking element between the fixing position and the release position.

A cargo conveying system for conveying cargo items, in particular containers and/or pallets, in a cargo hold of an aircraft having at least one cargo conveying device, in particular roller conveyors. The cargo conveying device includes at least one frame, at least one roller drive unit having at least one roller for conveying the cargo items, at least one main line strand, in particular a partial cable harness, arranged on the frame, and at least one distributor module for connecting the at least one main line strand to at least one further main line strand. The distributor module is arranged on the frame and is connected to the roller drive unit via at least one secondary line strand.