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IPC Class
B64

AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS

Classification Context

Section:
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Class:
AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS

Description

B64 covers aircraft design, construction, and operation, including fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, their structural components, propulsion systems, control mechanisms, and navigational equipment. The class encompasses avionic systems, landing gear, flight control surfaces, and related technologies for both manned and unmanned aircraft. It also includes spacecraft, rockets, and cosmonautical engineering for space exploration and orbital operations. Adjacent classes address specific propulsion systems (e.g., jet engines in F02, F04), general mechanical engineering principles, and ground-based aviation infrastructure handled separately under transportation and construction classifications.

Filing statistics

IPC B64 recorded 379,396 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 6 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 14,888 in 2013 to 40,504 in 2023 (+172%), peaking at 45,872 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class B64 are BOEING COMPANY (8,583 applications), AIRBUS OPERATIONS (3,430 applications) and AIRBUS OPERATIONS (2,757 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

In class comparison

B64 comprises 6 subclasses with filings; the largest is B64C with 38.9% of the class's 379,396 applications between 2013 and 2023.

Subclasses of class B64 by patent applications, 2013–2023
RankSubclassTitleApplicationsShare
1B64C, Aeroplanes; HelicoptersAeroplanes; Helicopters147,60638.9%
2B64D, Equipment for Fitting in or to Aircraft; Flight Suits; Parachutes; Arrangement or Mounting of Power Plants or Propulsion Transmissions in AircraftEquipment for Fitting in or to Aircraft; Flight Suits; Parachutes; Arrangement or Mounting of Power Plants or Propulsion Transmissions in Aircraft136,41936.0%
3B64F, Ground or Aircraft-Carrier-Deck Installations Specially Adapted for Use in Connection With Aircraft; Designing, Manufacturing, Assembling, Cleaning, Maintaining or Repairing Aircraft, Not Otherwise Provided for; Handling, Transporting, Testing or Inspecting Aircraft Components, Not Otherwise Provided forGround or Aircraft-Carrier-Deck Installations Specially Adapted for Use in Connection With Aircraft; Designing, Manufacturing, Assembling, Cleaning, Maintaining or Repairing Aircraft, Not Otherwise Provided for; Handling, Transporting, Testing or Inspecting Aircraft Components, Not Otherwise Provided for44,59611.8%
4B64G, Cosmonautics; Vehicles or Equipment ThereforCosmonautics; Vehicles or Equipment Therefor24,1756.4%
5B64U, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles [UAV]; Equipment ThereforUnmanned Aerial Vehicles [UAV]; Equipment Therefor21,4385.7%
6B64B, Lighter-Than-Air AircraftLighter-Than-Air Aircraft5,1621.4%

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Related Keywords

AERONAUTICSAIRCRAFT in generalAVIATIONFLYINGadaptations of LADDER(S) for use on aircraftVEHICLESaircraft

6 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

  1. BOEING COMPANY US 8,583
  2. AIRBUS OPERATIONS DE 3,430
  3. AIRBUS OPERATIONS FR 2,757
  4. HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND US 2,332
  5. SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY COMPANY CN 2,109
  6. AIRBUS OPERATIONS GB 2,084
  7. GOODRICH CORPORATION US 2,053
  8. XI'AN AIRCRAFT DESIGN INSTITUTE OF AVIATION INDUSTRY CORPORATION OF CHINA 1,938
  9. BOEING COMPANY 1,816
  10. NANJING UNIVERSITY OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS 1,589