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
Related Keywords
6 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- B64B LIGHTER-THAN-AIR AIRCRAFT
- B64C AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64D EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64F 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 FOR
- B64G COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
- B64U UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- BOEING COMPANY US 8,583
- AIRBUS OPERATIONS DE 3,430
- AIRBUS OPERATIONS FR 2,757
- HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND US 2,332
- SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY COMPANY CN 2,109
- AIRBUS OPERATIONS GB 2,084
- GOODRICH CORPORATION US 2,053
- XI'AN AIRCRAFT DESIGN INSTITUTE OF AVIATION INDUSTRY CORPORATION OF CHINA 1,938
- BOEING COMPANY 1,816
- NANJING UNIVERSITY OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS 1,589