Aerostructures are the major structural assemblies of the aircraft: fuselage sections, wings, tails, nacelles, booms, doors and fairings. Many drone and eVTOL developers design the aircraft but outsource these assemblies to specialised suppliers with the tooling, processes and quality systems to build them at rate.
What suppliers provide
Build-to-print manufacturing: parts and assemblies produced to the customer’s design.
Design and build: the supplier takes responsibility for detailed design, analysis and certification of the structure.
Composite and metallic parts, assembly, painting and systems installation.
Testing: coupon, component and full-scale structural tests.
What to compare
Experience with similar structures and materials (composites, thermoplastics, metallic).
Certification: AS9100 quality management, and design or production organisation approvals where relevant.
Production rate and scalability: eVTOL programmes target volumes much higher than traditional aerospace.
Automation: automated fiber placement, press forming, robotic assembly and inspection.
Design capability and willingness to share risk on the programme.
Location and supply chain, including export control and offset considerations.
For drone developers
For smaller UAVs, aerostructure suppliers can turn a prototype into a repeatable product with controlled weight and quality. For piloted eVTOL, they bring the certified processes and documentation needed to show compliance.
What is the difference between build-to-print and design-and-build?
In build-to-print, the supplier manufactures to the customer's drawings. In design-and-build, the supplier also designs the structure and takes responsibility for its analysis and certification.
What is AS9100?
The quality management standard for aviation, space and defence organisations, based on ISO 9001 with additional requirements. Most aerospace customers require it from their suppliers.
Why do eVTOL programmes need new manufacturing methods?
Their planned production volumes are far higher than traditional aircraft programmes, so they need faster, more automated processes such as thermoplastics, press forming and robotic assembly.
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FeaturedAerostructures
FeaturedAerostructures
FeaturedAerostructures
FeaturedAerostructures
FeaturedAerostructures
FeaturedAerostructures
