An aircraft has a fuselage, a wing assembly, and a pair of struts. The wing assembly has a center wing structure and a pair of outer wing structures. The center wing structure is coupled to the fuselage at a wing-fuselage joint, and has a pair of engine mounting locations respectively on opposite sides of a wing centerline. Each of the struts is coupled to the fuselage at a strut-fuselage joint, and to one of the outer wing structures at a strut-wing joint. Each strut-fuselage joint is located below and aft of the wing-fuselage joint. Each outer wing structure is coupled to the center wing structure at a mid-wing joint located no further inboard than the engine mounting location, and no further outboard than the strut-wing joint.

An aircraft has a fuselage, a wing assembly, and a pair of struts. The wing assembly has a center wing structure and a pair of outer wing structures. The center wing structure is coupled to the fuselage at a wing-fuselage joint, and has a pair of engine mounting locations respectively on opposite sides of a wing centerline. Each of the struts is coupled to the fuselage at a strut-fuselage joint, and to one of the outer wing structures at a strut-wing joint. Each strut-fuselage joint is located below and aft of the wing-fuselage joint. Each outer wing structure is coupled to the center wing structure at a mid-wing joint located no further inboard than the engine mounting location, and no further outboard than the strut-wing joint.

Lock apparatus and related methods for use with drones are disclosed. A disclosed drone assembly includes a wing, a keel-beam, an adapter positioned on an end of the keel-beam, and a lock configured to receive the adapter. The lock includes a first lock portion coupled to the wing and a second lock portion rotatable relative to the first lock portion between a first position and a second position. The lock is configured to (a) couple the keel-beam to the wing when the second lock portion is in the second position and (b) decouple the keel-beam from the wing when the second lock portion is in the first position.

Lock apparatus and related methods for use with drones are disclosed. A disclosed drone assembly includes a wing, a keel-beam, an adapter positioned on an end of the keel-beam, and a lock configured to receive the adapter. The lock includes a first lock portion coupled to the wing and a second lock portion rotatable relative to the first lock portion between a first position and a second position. The lock is configured to (a) couple the keel-beam to the wing when the second lock portion is in the second position and (b) decouple the keel-beam from the wing when the second lock portion is in the first position.

The invention discloses a propeller-driven helicopter or airplane which comprises a fuselage and a propeller comprising a plurality of blades, wherein a plurality of pressure pipes are uniformly distributed between windward sides and leeward sides of the blades; a plurality of first inlets are formed in the windward sides and are communicated with outside via first channels in the blades and second outlets at tails of the blades; a high-pressure fluid of a low-speed fluid layer formed when a fluid flows through the leeward sides in a widthwise direction flows towards a low-pressure fluid of a high-speed fluid layer formed when the fluid flows through the first inlets, the first channels and the second outlets; and an upward pressure generated by the high-pressure fluid is opposite to a downward pressure generated by an external fluid above the windward sides, so that a fluid pressure above the propeller is decreased.

The invention discloses a propeller-driven helicopter or airplane which comprises a fuselage and a propeller comprising a plurality of blades, wherein a plurality of pressure pipes are uniformly distributed between windward sides and leeward sides of the blades; a plurality of first inlets are formed in the windward sides and are communicated with outside via first channels in the blades and second outlets at tails of the blades; a high-pressure fluid of a low-speed fluid layer formed when a fluid flows through the leeward sides in a widthwise direction flows towards a low-pressure fluid of a high-speed fluid layer formed when the fluid flows through the first inlets, the first channels and the second outlets; and an upward pressure generated by the high-pressure fluid is opposite to a downward pressure generated by an external fluid above the windward sides, so that a fluid pressure above the propeller is decreased.

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 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.

An assembly-ready joint for an aircraft assembly is disclosed. The joint includes a first joint part having a spigot. The joint also has a second joint part with a housing. A floating socket is in an interior of the housing. The second joint part receives the spigot in the floating socket. The joint is arranged to receive a curable medium, such as curable resin, in the interior to contract between the housing and the floating socket.

Embodiments for commercial freighter configuration for aircraft with composite wings. One embodiment is cargo floor structure for a wing center section of an aircraft. The cargo floor structure includes over wing floor beams extending longitudinally between a rear spar and a front spar of the aircraft. The over wing floor beams are coupled with an upper skin panel of a composite wing. The cargo floor structure also includes intercostals extending spanwise across the over wing floor beams. The intercostals suspended over the upper skin panel of the composite wing. The cargo floor structure also includes a truss box structure disposed between a middle pair of the over wing floor beams and configured to shear a spanwise load from the intercostals into the upper skin panel of the composite wing.