B64U UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
Introduced: January 2023
Classification Context
- Section:
- PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- Class:
- AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
- Subclass:
- UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
Description
B64U covers unmanned aerial vehicles and their associated equipment, encompassing aircraft systems that operate without onboard human pilots or remote human control. This subclass includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing UAVs, their structural components, propulsion systems, guidance and control mechanisms, and payload-carrying apparatus. The classification addresses design, construction, and operation of autonomous or remotely piloted aircraft used in applications ranging from surveillance and photography to cargo delivery and scientific research. Related aircraft systems with human pilots are excluded, being covered under other B64 subclasses.
Filing statistics
IPC subclass B64U recorded 21,438 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 7 in 2013 to 12,831 in 2023 (+183200%). 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
Additional Content
VTOL Vertical Take-Off and Landing
9 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- B64U 10/00 Type of UAV
- B64U 101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
- B64U 20/00 Constructional aspects of UAVs
- B64U 30/00 Means for producing lift; Empennages; Arrangements thereof
- B64U 40/00 On-board mechanical arrangements for adjusting control surfaces or rotors; On-board mechanical arrangements for in-flight adjustment of the base configuration
- B64U 50/00 Propulsion; Power supply
- B64U 60/00 Undercarriages
- B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
- B64U 80/00 Transport or storage specially adapted for UAVs
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class B64, 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