A heavy payload, autonomous UAV able to deliver supply by way of airdrop with more precision and at a lower cost. The UAV is equipped with two movable wing systems that rotate from a stowed position to a deployed position upon jettison of the UAV from a mothership. The UAV can be controlled remotely or it can operate autonomously and the movable wings can include ailerons to effectuate flight control of the UAV. The UAV can be reusable or can be an expendable UAV.

A fastening system for an aircraft configured to fasten at least one tank intended to contain liquid hydrogen includes a longitudinal box, an upper structure fastened to an upper side of the longitudinal box, a lower structure fastened to a lower side of the longitudinal box and at least two fastening frames including, on either side of the vertical plane of symmetry (P1), a fastening device for connecting a tank to the upper structure. The fastening system further includes at least two fastening devices for connecting a fastening point of the tank to the longitudinal box and at least two fastening devices for connecting a fastening point of the tank to the lower structure. The fastening system makes it possible to securely fasten at least one hydrogen tank on board an aircraft (AC).

An aircraft rear section (20) including a fuselage rear section (21) extending from the rear pressure bulkhead (23) to the end of the fuselage and an empennage (12) including at least a vertical tail plane (13). An aircraft rear section (20) with a continuous skin (31) is formed by two lateral sides placed symmetrically with respect to the middle vertical plane of the aircraft, each side including an upper portion (26) for the torsion box (14) of the vertical tail plane (13), a lower portion (28) for the fuselage rear section (21) and a transition portion (27) between the upper and lower portions (26, 28). The upper and lower portions (26, 28) of the continuous skin (31) are joined to inner structural components of the vertical tail plane (13) and the fuselage rear section (21).

An aircraft with a composite tail boom that comprises at least partly a tubular tail boom cone with an outer skin and an inner skin, wherein the inner skin delimits a hollow interior of the composite tail boom, wherein a plurality of rod-shaped stiffening elements and a plurality of ring-shaped stiffening elements are arranged between the outer skin and the inner skin, the plurality of rod-shaped stiffening elements being oriented in longitudinal direction of the composite tail boom and the plurality of ring-shaped stiffening elements being distributed along the longitudinal direction in the tubular tail boom cone.

A method for the assembly of an aircraft fuselage, to a fuselage manufacturing station and to a construction kit includes providing a pre-assembled cockpit unit, a pre-assembled wing box, a pre-assembled tail unit and a plurality of pre-fabricated fuselage shell segments. Furthermore, the method involves positioning the cockpit unit, the wing box and the tail unit. Moreover, a first front fuselage shell segment is positioned on a front connecting region of the wing box, and a first rear fuselage shell segment is positioned on a rear connecting region of the wing box. The first front fuselage shell segment is joined to a second front fuselage shell segment, and the first rear fuselage shell segment is joined to a second rear fuselage shell segment. As a result of the above, following the assembly of the aircraft fuselage an aircraft fuselage can be provided that already comprises equipment elements or functional elements.

An aircraft section comprising a first fuel storage tank and a second fuel storage tank arranged in a caudal tandem configuration. The corresponding casings, housing conduits configured for distribution of fuel to and from inside the tanks, are arranged in a common section of the fuselage and spaced between them. Also an aircraft with such a section.

To optimize the structure of an aircraft tail section, an aircraft rear section comprises a fuselage section, a tail section, and a vertical stabilizer comprising a box-section structure which comprises a box-section upper part extending on the outside of the tail section, and a box-section lower part housed inside the tail section, such that the tail section is wholly supported by the box-section structure.

Systems and methods for extending the interior cargo bay of fixed-wing cargo aircraft into a replaceable tailcone bay are disclosed. The system includes an aircraft and a removable tailcone configured couple to the aft end of the fuselage. The aircraft fuselage includes a cargo bay and an aft end opening into the cargo bay. The tailcone, when attached, encloses the aft end opening the cargo bay. The tailcone can include an interior volume configured to extend the fuselage cargo bay such that the interior volume defines an aft end of a cargo bay of the cargo aircraft. In some examples, the tailcone includes a plurality of segments, which can be configured to extend from the aft end of the aircraft to adjust a length of the cargo extension provided by the tailcone.

A method of delivering heavy payload using an autonomous UAV able to deliver supply by way of airdrop with more precision and at a lower cost. The UAV is equipped with two movable wing systems that rotate from a stowed position to a deployed position upon jettison of the UAV from a mothership. The UAV can be controlled remotely or it can operate autonomously and the movable wings can include ailerons to effectuate flight control of the UAV. The UAV can be reusable or can be an expendable UAV.

A method for managing at least one aircraft configured to alternately occupy a first configuration suitable for a first flight category not requiring any auxiliary power unit and a second configuration suitable for a second flight category requiring at least one auxiliary power unit. The managing method includes a step of removably mounting, alternately, a lightened first tail cone not including any auxiliary power unit or a second tail cone including at least one auxiliary power unit depending on the first or second category of flights to be performed by the aircraft. A method for managing at least one fleet of aircraft, an aircraft, and a managing device configured to implement the method are each also provided.