Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including a flight propulsion system and a support system coupled to the flight propulsion system, the support system comprising a protective outer cage configured to surround the flight propulsion system, wherein the outer cage comprises a plurality of cage frame modules that are manufactured as separate components and assembled together to form at least a portion of the outer cage configured to surround the flight propulsion system.

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including a flight propulsion system and a support system coupled to the flight propulsion system, the support system comprising a protective outer cage configured to surround the flight propulsion system, wherein the outer cage comprises a plurality of cage frame modules that are manufactured as separate components and assembled together to form at least a portion of the outer cage configured to surround the flight propulsion system.

In one embodiment, a method may comprise coupling a plurality of reinforcement fibers to a plurality of spherical components; inserting the plurality of spherical components into an enclosure; and heating the enclosure to cause the plurality of spherical components to expand, wherein the plurality of spherical components expands to form a geodesic structure, wherein the geodesic structure comprises a plurality of polyhedron components configured in a geodesic arrangement.

In one embodiment, a method may comprise coupling a plurality of reinforcement fibers to a plurality of spherical components; inserting the plurality of spherical components into an enclosure; and heating the enclosure to cause the plurality of spherical components to expand, wherein the plurality of spherical components expands to form a geodesic structure, wherein the geodesic structure comprises a plurality of polyhedron components configured in a geodesic arrangement.

An aircraft structure and its method of construction avoids the inefficiencies involved in current methods of constructing the aircraft structure, reduces the manufacturing time required for constructing the aircraft structure and reduces the cost involved in constructing the aircraft structure. The aircraft structure and its method of construction is comprised of a geodesic or multi-grid framework of intersecting thermoplastic composite strips that are joined to an interior surface of a thermoplastic composite fuselage skin panel through overmolding/co-consolidation of the grid framework and the skin panel.

An aircraft structure and its method of construction avoids the inefficiencies involved in current methods of constructing the aircraft structure, reduces the manufacturing time required for constructing the aircraft structure and reduces the cost involved in constructing the aircraft structure. The aircraft structure and its method of construction is comprised of a geodesic or multi-grid framework of intersecting thermoplastic composite strips that are joined to an interior surface of a thermoplastic composite fuselage skin panel through overmolding/co-consolidation of the grid framework and the skin panel.

A computer-implemented method for space frame design involves constructing a load stress map in a geometrical boundary representation of a design space, defining attachment points and load application points in the design space, creating a starting network of interconnecting lines between each two of the attachment points and load application points in the design space, assigning load application factors to each line of the starting network of interconnecting lines based on values of the load stress map, generating potential space frame designs by culling different subsets of lines of the starting network of interconnecting lines for each potential space frame design according to variable culling parameters, evaluating the potential space frame designs with respect to optimization parameters, combining the culling parameters for the potential space frame designs the performance score of which is above a predefined performance threshold, and iterating the steps of generating potential space frame designs and evaluating the potential space frame designs on the basis of the combined culling parameters.

A computer-implemented method for space frame design involves constructing a load stress map in a geometrical boundary representation of a design space, defining attachment points and load application points in the design space, creating a starting network of interconnecting lines between each two of the attachment points and load application points in the design space, assigning load application factors to each line of the starting network of interconnecting lines based on values of the load stress map, generating potential space frame designs by culling different subsets of lines of the starting network of interconnecting lines for each potential space frame design according to variable culling parameters, evaluating the potential space frame designs with respect to optimization parameters, combining the culling parameters for the potential space frame designs the performance score of which is above a predefined performance threshold, and iterating the steps of generating potential space frame designs and evaluating the potential space frame designs on the basis of the combined culling parameters.

A tension-only member for a truss structure and a method of operating a vehicle with tension-only members is provided. Tension-only members readily deform when a compressive load is applied. The tension-only members may be a leaf spring, a strap, a cable, or a rope between two connector ends. The tension-only members are placed diagonally in a truss such that the tension-only members support a load applied in one direction but deflect when a load is applied in an opposite direction. A truss structure with such tension-only members can be flexible to enable a vehicle frame to which it is attached to flex.

A tension-only member for a truss structure and a method of operating a vehicle with tension-only members is provided. Tension-only members readily deform when a compressive load is applied. The tension-only members may be a leaf spring, a strap, a cable, or a rope between two connector ends. The tension-only members are placed diagonally in a truss such that the tension-only members support a load applied in one direction but deflect when a load is applied in an opposite direction. A truss structure with such tension-only members can be flexible to enable a vehicle frame to which it is attached to flex.