The invention provides a processing method of a thin and long aluminium alloy thin-walled cylinder and belongs to a mechanical processing method of a slewing structure, and the processing method is used for carrying out friction stir welding on a shell blank so as to process and mold the shell blank into a bent generatrix thin-walled cylinder shell. The method provided by the invention can be used for solving the problems of poor shell generatrix displacement, poor shell roundness, uneven wall thickness, clearance at welding seams, unqualified performance detection and incapability of ensuring use requirements in the existing processing method. The method comprises a part manufacturing step, a matching step, a caustic washing step, a trial assembly step, a positioned welding step, a friction stir welding step, a welding seam polishing step, a stress-relief annealing step, an X-ray detection step, a shape processing step, a ultrasonic flaw detection step and an end face hole processingstep. The method provided by the invention can be used for solving the problems of poor shell roundness, uneven wall thickness, clearances at the welding seams and unqualified performance detection in the existing processing method, improving the shell processing precision and reliably ensuring the product quality.