Wing mounting for unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

A land-launched unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, comprising a liquid-fueled gas turbine engine 210 configured to facilitate cruise flight is disclosed. The UAV has a fuselage 201, a wing 202 and wing mounting means. The wing mounting means are configured to facilitate mounting of the wing to an upper surface of the fuselage. The wing mounting means include a fastening mechanism configured to detachably fasten the wing to the fuselage. The fastening mechanism is operable by hand. Also disclosed is a fuselage, a wing, and a method of assembling a land-launched UAV. The UAV may be used to deliver explosive.

Description

Field of the invention The present disclosure relates to wing mounting for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and in particular to a UAV that is powered by a liquid-fuelled gas turbine engine. Background Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly being used in a variety of different contexts. For example, UAVs may be used for reconnaissance purposes, or the delivery of cargo or a payload to a desired location, or for a multitude of other purposes. UAVs can be expensive and complex to manufacture and operate. This can be problematic in armed conflict where resources can be limited and supply chains disrupted. Furthermore, UAVs which are complicated to operate may require the operators to undergo extensive training, which is time consuming and uses additional resources. The present disclosure aims to solve these problems, among others. Summary of the invention Aspects of the disclosure are set out in the independent claims and optional features are set out in the dependent claims. Aspects of the disclosure may be provided in conjunction with each other and features of one aspect may be applied to other aspects. An aspect of the disclosure provides a land-launched unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, comprising a liquid-fuelled gas turbine engine configured to facilitate cruise flight, wherein the UAV comprises any or all of the following features: a fuselage; a wing; and wing mounting means configured to facilitate mounting of the wing to an upper surface of the fuselage; wherein the wing mounting means comprise a fastening mechanism configured to detachably fasten the wing to the fuselage, and wherein the fastening mechanism is operable by hand. By providing the wing mounting means according to this aspect, the UAV may be transported with the wing detached from the fuselage in order to save space. Furthermore, the UAV may be assembled rapidly and without requiring special tools. The wing may comprise an opening on an upper surface thereof. The opening may be configured to provide access to the fastening mechanism to facilitate fastening of the wing to the fuselage by hand. This may make assembly of the wing with the fuselage particularly convenient by permitting access to the fastening mechanism from an upper surface of the wing. The fastening mechanism may comprise a first fastening component on the wing. The fastening mechanism may comprise a second fastening component on the fuselage. The first fastening component and the second fastening component may be releasably engageable by hand. The fastening mechanism may comprise a threaded engagement between the first fastening component and the second fastening component. The second fastening component may be rotatably mounted on the fuselage. This may have the advantage of providing a fastening mechanism that is simple to manufacture and operate. The fuselage may comprise a bracket extending from the upper surface of the fuselage. The second fastening component may be rotatably mounted to the bracket. A rotational axis of the second fastening component may be parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fuselage. The bracket may extend across the upper surface of the fuselage in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the fuselage. The second fastening means may be configured to receive the first fastening means in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fuselage. The second fastening component may be configured to receive and threadingly engage the first fastening component by rotation of the second fastening component relative to the fuselage. The wing mounting means may comprise a first mounting element on the wing and a second mounting element on the fuselage. The first fastening component may be comprised in the first mounting element and the second fastening component may be comprised in the second mounting element. The first mounting element may comprise at least one mounting hole. The second mounting element may comprise at least one mounting pin. The at least one mounting hole may be arranged to receive the at least one mounting pin to provide structural support between the wing and the fuselage. The at least one mounting pin may comprise a first mounting pin and a second mounting pin. The at least one mounting pin may be tapered. The narrower end of a tapered mounting pin may aid insertion into a mounting hole, while the wider end may improve the structural support provided between the wing and the fuselage by limiting lateral movement of the wing with respect to the fuselage. The first mounting pin and the second mounting pin may be arranged on opposite sides of the fastening mechanism. This may provide a UAV that is simpler to manufacture and space efficient by combining the fastening components into the mounting elements. The first mounting element may comprise a first electrical connection interface. The second mounting element may comprise a second electrical connection interface arranged to cooperate with the first electrical connection interface. The first electrical connection interface may be electrically connected to at least one aileron assembly of the wing to control the at least one aileron. Incorporating the electrical connections into the mounting elements may provide a simple and space efficient construction. The first mounting element may be comprised in a first spar of the wing. The wing mounting means further may comprise a positioning mechanism. The positioning mechanism may comprise a first positioning component on the wing and a second positioning component on the fuselage. The first positioning component and the second positioning component may be configured to cooperate with each other to position the wing with respect to the fuselage when the wing is fastened to the fuselage by the fastening mechanism. The second positioning component may be arranged to receive the first positioning component in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fuselage. The second positioning component may be comprised in a second spar of the wing. The first positioning component may comprise a pin and the second positioning component may comprise a hole. The hole may be provided in a positioning bracket. The positioning bracket may extend from the upper surface of the fuselage. The positioning mechanism may be arranged rearward of the fastening mechanism. The first mounting element may be provided in a housing of the wing. The housing may be arranged to abut the upper surface of the fuselage. This may improve the aerodynamics of the UAV. The housing may comprise an opening configured to receive the second mounting element. The first positioning component may be provided in the housing. The housing may comprise a second opening configured to receive the second positioning component. Integrating the first mounting element and the first positioning into a single housing may improve manufacturability of the wing. The wing mounting means may be arranged such that the wing can be detached from the fuselage by disengaging the fastening mechanism. The wing mounting means may be configured such that only the single fastening mechanism needs to be disengaged to detach the wing from the fuselage. The wing mounting means may be configured such that only the single fastening mechanism needs to be engaged to attach the wing to the fuselage sufficient for flight of the UAV. This may simplify and speed up assembly and disassembly of the UAV. The UAV may further comprise an empennage. The empennage may be arranged behind the high-wing and may comprise a twin tail arrangement. The twin tail arrangement may comprise two tail fins. The tail fins may be arranged in a V-tail arrangement. The gas turbine engine may be a turbojet. The UAV may be configured as a oneway effect drone. The wingspan may be between 2.5 and 3.5 m. The wing may comprise downwardly-pointed winglets. The UAV may further comprise a payload region configured to house a high-explosive fragmentation payload. The payload may have a mass between 10 kg and 20 kg. The UAV may be configured to have a maximum speed of at least 400 km / h. The UAV 200 may be configured to have a maximum speed of less than 500 km / h. The UAV may have a dry operating mass between 27 and 35 kg. The UAV may be configured to be launched from a dolly vehicle. An aspect of the disclosure aims to provide a fuselage for a land-launched unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, the UAV comprising a liquid-fuelled gas turbine engine, the fuselage comprising any or all of the following features: a mounting element positioned on an upper surface of the fuselage and configured to receive a wing; and a fastening component configured to releasably fasten the fuselage to the wing by hand. The fuselage may have any of the features described hereinabove in relation to the UAV. An aspect of the disclosure aims to provide a wing for a land-launched unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, the UAV comprising a liquid-fuelled gas turbine engine, the wing comprising any or all of the following features: a mounting element configured to be mounted on an upper surface of a fuselage of the UAV; and a fastening component configured to releasably fasten the wing to the fuselage by hand. The wing may have any of the features described hereinabove in relation to the UAV. An aspect of the disclosure aims to provides a method of assembling a land-launched unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, the method comprising any or all of the following steps: providing a wing; providing a fuselage, the fuselage comprising a liquid-fuelled gas turbine engine; providing wing mounting means, the wing mounting means comprising a fastening mechanism; mounting the wing onto an upper surface of the fuselage via the wing mounting means; fastening the wing to the fuselage by operating the fastening mechanism by hand. The fastening mechanism may comprise a first fastening component on the wing and a second fastening component rotatably mounted on the fuselage. Fastening the wing to the fuselage may comprise rotating the second fastening component by hand to releasably engage with the first fastening component. Any of the UAV, fuselage and the wing of the method may have any of the features as described hereinabove. An aspect of the disclosure aims to provide a drone system comprising: a UAV as described hereinabove and a dolly vehicle for detachably coupling to the UAV for launching the UAV. Brief description of the drawings Embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1A is a top view of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to embodiments of the disclosure; Fig. 1B is a perspective view of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to embodiments of the disclosure; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a dolly vehicle according to embodiments of the disclosure; Fig. 3A is a partial bottom perspective view of a wing according to embodiments of the disclosure; Fig. 3B is a partial perspective view of a fuselage according to embodiments of the disclosure; Fig. 4A is a partial perspective cutaway view of a wing according to embodiments of the disclosure; Fig. 4B is a partial perspective cutaway view of a wing fastened to a fuselage, according to embodiments of the disclosure; and Fig. 5 is a partial top perspective view of a wing fastened to a fuselage, according to embodiments of the disclosure. Detailed description of the drawings Embodiments of the disclosure may relate to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system. The UAV system includes the UAV itself together with apparatus for launching the UAV from the ground, such as a dolly vehicle configured to cooperate with the UAV. The UAV may be a high-wing aircraft having a generally cylindrical body providing the fuselage, a wing provided across an upper surface of the fuselage, and an empennage. The UAV also includes a canard arrangement positioned at a nose portion of the fuselage. The UAV is powered by a gas turbine engine which is fuelled by a fuel tank in the fuselage. In particular, the UAV is powered by a turbojet engine. This can be contrasted with other UAVs which may be driven by a turboprop engine, for example. The UAV system disclosed herein can be considered a platform in the sense that multiple configurations are possible. For example, within the same fuselage, different engine sizes can be accommodated in the engine compartment by employing different engine mounting brackets, allowing different performance characteristics. The platform therefore allows the maximum range and / or speed of the UAV to be tailored to a particular use. It may not be plausible for a UAV to be transported to its intended deployment location in a fully assembly state. Instead, in order to reduce the volume occupied by a packaged UAV during transport, it can be beneficial to transport the fuselage and the wing disconnected from one another. Disclosed herein is a system including a fuselage with a detachable wing. The wing can be attached and reattached rapidly by mounting the wing on the fuselage and fastening a fastening component, such as a nut-and-bolt type fastener. This is in contrast to other UAVs whose wing (or wings) may form an integral component with the fuselage or may be connected to the fuselage in such a way that disassembly and reassembly would require specific tools, such as power tools. Figures 1A and 1B show a UAV 200 according to embodiments of the disclosure. The UAV 200 comprises a fuselage 201 which comprises a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis. A forward section of the fuselage 201 comprises a nose section 214. The UAV 200 further comprises a wing 202 arranged as a high wing mounted on an upper surface of the fuselage 201. In this respect, the wing 202 is mounted symmetrically along a centreline of the fuselage 201 which can be considered as a vertical plane of symmetry from the front to the rear of the fuselage 201 and passing through the longitudinal axis. It will be appreciated that, when the wing 202 is mounted on the fuselage 201, the centreline of the wing 202 will be the same as the centreline of the fuselage 201. The wing 202 is mounted on the rear half of the fuselage 201, for example approximately two thirds along the longitudinal axis from the nose section 214. The wingspan of the wing 202, measured transverse to the longitudinal axis, may be longer than the length of the fuselage 201. The wingspan may be longer than the fuselage length by between 10% and 50%. For example, the wingspan may be at least 30% longer than the length of the fuselage. The wingspan may be between 2.5 m and 3.5 m. For example, the wingspan may be approximately 3 m. The wing 202 may be a tapered wing. In the illustrated arrangement, the wing 202 comprises a tapered front edge and a straight rear edge. The rear edge comprises ailerons 206. The ailerons 206 are positioned at a laterally outer region of the wing 202. In other words, the ailerons 206 are positioned at a distal region of each half of the wing 202. The wing 202 may comprise winglets 211. In the arrangement shown, the wing 202 comprises downward pointing winglets 211 at each end of the wing 202. The UAV 200 further comprises a tail region or empennage 207. In the example shown in Figure 1B, the empennage 207 comprises a twin tail arrangement in a V-tail configuration. In this respect, the empennage 207 comprises two vertical stabilisers or tail fins 208. The tail fins 208 extend from the fuselage in a rearward direction with respect to the longitudinal axis. In some arrangements, the tail fin 208 may be connected by a cross member 209 which extends horizontally between the distal ends of the tail fins 208. The UAV 200 further comprises a canard arrangement. As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the fuselage 201 comprises canards 205 extending laterally outward with respect to the longitudinal axis. The canards 205 may extend from a region between the nose section 214 and the cylindrical body of the fuselage 201. With particular reference to Figure 1B, the UAV comprises a fuel tank 212. The fuel tank 212 is housed inside the fuselage 201. The fuel tank 212 may be positioned in a region of the fuselage at least partially under the wing 202. In the illustrated example, the fuel tank 212 is a cylindrical fuel tank secured within the cylindrical body of the fuselage 201. The UAV 200 comprises a gas turbine engine 210. The gas turbine engine is configured to be fuelled by liquid fuel stored in the fuel tank 212, such as kerosene. The gas turbine engine 210 may be a turbojet engine. In other words, the turbine engine may be configured to generate thrust solely by the turbine exit gases without any thrust being provided by the rotation of any propeller, for example. The fuselage 201 comprises at least one air inlet 215 configured to receive air as the UAV moves due to the operation of the gas turbine engine. In the arrangement shown, the air inlet 215 is positioned under the wing 202. Although not shown, there is an identical air inlet on the opposite side of the fuselage 201. The gas turbine engine 210 is secured within an engine compartment. The engine compartment is provided at the rear of the fuselage 201 and is configured to at least partially house the gas turbine engine 210 in the fuselage 201. The engine compartment comprises a mounting arrangement (not shown) configured to secure the gas turbine engine 210 in the engine compartment. The mounting arrangement may be compatible with different sized brackets for mounting different sizes of gas turbine engine 210. By facilitating different sized engines to be incorporated into the UAV 200, the range and speed of the UAV 200 can be tailored as required. In one arrangement, the UAV 200 has a range of 250 km. In another arrangement, the UAV 200 has a range of 450 km. In yet another arrangement, the UAV 200 has a range of 1,000 km. The UAV 200 may also comprise an afterburner (not shown). The afterburner may be positioned rearward of the gas turbine engine 210. The UAV 200 further comprises a payload region 204. The payload region 204 may be arranged in the nose section 214 of the fuselage 201. The payload region 204 is configured to contain a payload, such as an explosive payload. The explosive payload may be a high-explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) payload. The UAV 200 may be configured to carry a payload having a mass of at least 10 kg, for example between 10 kg and 20 kg, for example approximately 15 kg. In this respect, the UAV 200 may be configured as a one-way effect drone that is configured to explode in proximity to a target. The UAV 200 has a dry weight (i.e., without fuel) of less than 50 kg, preferably less than 40 kg. For example, the UAV 200 may have a dry operating mass between 20 kg and 40 kg, preferably between 27 kg and 35 kg. the UAV 200 may have a dry operating mass of approximately 30 kg. The UAV 200 may be arranged to have a max take-off weight (MTOW) of less than 100kg. For example, the UAV 200 may have a MTOW of between 60 kg and 90 kg, for example at least 75 kg. The MTOW may be approximately 77 kg. The UAV 200 may be configured to have a maximum speed of at least 300 km / h, preferably at least 350 km / h, preferably at least 400 km / h. The UAV 200 may be configured to have a maximum speed of less than 500 km / h. For example, the UAV 200 may have a maximum speed of approximately 410 km / h. The UAV 200 may be configured to have a launch speed between 40 m / s and 50 m / s. For example, the UAV 200 may be configured to have a launch speed of approximately 45 m / s. The UAV 200 is configured to be launched from a dolly vehicle. In this respect, the UAV 200 comprises features enabling it to couple with a dolly vehicle for taxiing the UAV 200 to its take-off position and for transporting the UAV 200 along a runway. In this respect, the UAV 200 may comprise a coupling component (not shown) configured to couple with the dolly vehicle. The coupling component may be configured to enable the UAV 200 to separate from the dolly vehicle when the take-off speed is reached. The UAV 200 may also have onboard systems to control the dolly vehicle, for example to instruct the dolly vehicle to drive and / or to release the coupling component at a particular speed. Figure 2 shows a dolly vehicle 300 according to embodiments of the disclosure. The dolly vehicle 300 may comprise a chassis or a supporting frame 301. In the arrangement shown in Figure 2, the dolly vehicle 300 comprises four wheels in total: two front wheels 306 and two rear wheels 308. The wheels, for example the front wheels 306, may be driven by a motor (not shown) to control the speed of the dolly vehicle 300. The wheels, for example the rear wheels 308, may be steerable for controlling a driving direction of the dolly vehicle 300. The dolly vehicle 300 further comprises a cradle 304 for supporting the UAV 200. In the arrangement shown, the cradle 304 comprises a front part at a front region of the supporting frame 301 and a rear part at a rear region of the supporting frame 301. The cradle 304 is arranged to receive the UAV 200. In this respect, the cradle 304 may comprise a curved upper surface configured to cooperate with the cylindrical body of the fuselage 201. The dolly vehicle 300 may comprise coupling means 305. The coupling means 305 are configured to couple the UAV 200 to the dolly vehicle 300. In this way, the coupling means 305 can be configured to ensure that the UAV 200 remains attached to the dolly vehicle 300 during taxiing or acceleration, but can release the UAV 200 when required, for example when the take-off speed is reached. Together, the UAV 200 and the dolly vehicle 300 form a land-launched drone system. Using a dolly vehicle 300 to launch the UAV 200 from the ground instead of incorporating launch capability into the UAV 200 itself reduces the weight and complexity of the UAV 200, facilitating an improved range and speed. Furthermore, while the UAV 200 may be configured as a one-way effect drone, the dolly vehicle 300 remains on the ground after the UAV 200 is launched such that it can be reused to launch other UAV units. The above system reduces the number of resources required to launch a given number of UAV units which can be especially advantageous in regions with supply chain issues. The launch location of the UAV, which must be within flight range of the intended target, may be in a region to which delivering supplies is difficult. In such circumstances, it is desirable for the size of a packaged UAV to be minimised, for example so that more UAV units can fit in a given space on a delivery vehicle. One way of achieving this is by delivering the UAV in parts, for example a separate wing and fuselage, which requires minimum labour to assemble the UAV at the launch location. In this respect, Figures 3A to 5 will describe a system of a fuselage 201 with a detachable wing 202. Figure 3A shows the underside of a wing 202 according to embodiments of the disclosure. In particular, Figure 3A shows a central portion of the wing 202 along which the wing 202 is mounted to the fuselage 201. The wing 202 may be the same wing 202 as described in relation to Figures 1A and 1B. The UAV 200 comprises wing mounting means configured to facilitate mounting of the wing 202 to an upper surface of the fuselage 201. The wing mounting means comprise a fastening mechanism configured to detachably fasten the wing 202 to the fuselage 201. The fastening mechanism is operable by hand, meaning that the wing 202 may be fastened to the fuselage 201 by an operator without the need for any special tools. The wing mounting means may also comprise a positioning mechanism configured to position the wing 202 with respect to the fuselage 201. The wing 202 may also comprise electrical connection means configured to electrically connect the wing 202 to the fuselage 201, for example to control the ailerons 206. The wing 202 comprises a first mounting element 221 of the wing mounting means. The first mounting element 221 is configured to facilitate mounting of the wing 202 onto the fuselage 201. In this respect, the first mounting element 221 may comprise at least one mounting hole configured to receive at least one mounting pin, for example in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage 201. In the arrangement shown, the first mounting element 221 comprises a first mounting hole 221a and a second mounting hole 221b. The first mounting hole 221a and the second mounting hole 221b may be positioned on opposite sides of, and displaced evenly from, the centreline of the wing 202. The wing 202 comprises a first fastening component 231 of the fastening mechanism. The first fastening component 231 is configured to engage with the fuselage 201 so as to be releasably attachable thereto. The first fastening component 231 may be arranged along the centreline of the wing 202. The first fastening component 231 may comprise a threaded component, such as a bolt. The first fastening component 231 may extend in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage 201, for example in a rearward direction. In the arrangement shown, the first fastening component 231 is comprised in the first mounting element 221. The wing 202 comprises a first positioning component 241 of the positioning mechanism. The first positioning component 241 is configured to facilitate positioning of the wing 202 on the fuselage 201. The first positioning component 241 may be arranged along the centreline of the wing 202. The first positioning component 241 may be arranged rearward of the first mounting element 221. The first positioning component 241 may comprise a pin configured to be received in a hole on the fuselage 201. In the illustrated arrangement, the pin extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage 201 in a rearward direction. The pin may comprise a tapered region configured to aid insertion into a hole on the fuselage 201. The wing 202 comprises a first electrical connection interface 251 of the electrical connection means. The first electrical connection interface 251 is configured to engage with the fuselage 201 to provide an electrical connection with components comprised in the fuselage 201. The first electrical connection interface 251 may comprise a plurality of electrical contacts, which may be arranged to interface with a corresponding plurality of electrical contacts on the fuselage 201. In the arrangement shown, the first electrical connection interface 251 is comprised in the first mounting element 221. In particular, the first electrical connection interface 251 is arranged adjacent, for example below, the first fastening component 231, and may be positioned between the first mounting hole 221a and the second mounting hole 221b. Any of all of the first mounting element 221, the first fastening component 231, the first positioning component 241 and the first electrical connection interface 251 may be arranged at least partially within a housing 213 of the wing 202. In the arrangement shown, all such features are arranged in the housing 213. The housing 213 is positioned in a bottom region of the wing 202 along the centreline thereof. The housing 213 has a lower surface configured to interface with the upper surface of the fuselage 201. In particular, for a fuselage 201 having a cylindrical body as shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the lower surface of the housing 213 may have a part cylindrical shape, such as a concave surface. The wing 202 may comprise at least one opening configured to facilitate engagement of the wing mounting means. In the example shown in Figure 3A, the wing 202 comprises a first opening 261 configured to provide access to the first mounting element 221, in particular to the first mounting hole 221a, the second mounting hole 221b, the first fastening component 231 and the first electrical connection interface 251. The first opening 261 spans across at least a portion of the lower surface of the wing 202. The wing 202 also comprises a second opening 262 configured to provide access to the first positioning component 241. The second opening 262 spans across at least a portion of the lower surface of the wing 202. The second opening 262 is positioned rearward of the first opening 261. The first opening 261 and the second opening 262 may be openings in a lower surface of the housing 213, as shown in Figure 3A. Figure 3B shows an upper surface of the fuselage 201 according to embodiments of the disclosure. The fuselage 201 may be the same fuselage 201 as described in relation to Figures 1A and 1B above. The fuselage 201 comprises a second mounting element 222 of the wing mounting means. The second mounting element 222 is configured to facilitate mounting of the wing 202 onto the fuselage 201. In this respect, the second mounting element 222 may comprise at least one mounting pin configured to be received in at least one mounting hole of the wing 202, for example in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage 201. The at least one mounting pin may be tapered. In the illustrated arrangement, the second mounting element 222 comprises a first mounting pin 222a and a second mounting pin 222b. In the arrangement shown, the first mounting pin 222a and the second mounting pin 222b are tapered. The first mounting pin 222a and the second mounting pin 222b may be positioned on opposite sides of, and displaced evenly from, the centreline of the fuselage 201. The second mounting element 222 may be comprised on a mounting bracket 223 of the fuselage 201. The mounting bracket 223 may extend upwards from the upper surface of the fuselage 201, for example as a plate arranged transverse to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage 201. The first mounting pin 222a and the second mounting pin 222b may be connected to the upper surface of the fuselage 201 via the mounting bracket 223. The fuselage 201 comprises a second fastening component 232 of the fastening mechanism. The second fastening component 232 is configured to engage with the wing 202 so as to be releasably attachable thereto. The second fastening component 232 may be arranged along the centreline of the fuselage 201. The second fastening component 232 may comprise a threaded component, such as a nut. The second fastening component 232 may be configured to receive a bolt in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage 201. The second fastening component 232 may be rotatably mounted on the fuselage 201. The second fastening component 232 may be arranged in the second mounting element 222. In the illustrated arrangement, the second fastening component 232 is connected to the upper surface of the fuselage 201 via the mounting bracket 223. In particular, the second fastening component 232 is rotatably mounted in a hole within the mounting bracket 223. The fastening mechanism may further comprise a fastening handle 233. The fastening handle 233 is provided in fixed relation to the second fastening component 232 to facilitate rotation of the second fastening component 232 relative to the fuselage 201. The fastening handle 233 may comprise a wheel including grip portions to aid gripping by an operator’s hand. The fuselage 201 comprises a second positioning component 242 of the positioning mechanism. The second positioning component 242 is configured to facilitate positioning of the wing 202 on the fuselage 201. The second positioning component 242 may be arranged along the centreline of the fuselage 201. The second positioning component 242 may be arranged rearward of the second mounting element 222. The second positioning component 242 may comprise a hole configured to receive a pin of the wing 202. In the illustrated arrangement, the hole is configured to receive a pin in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage 201. The second positioning component 242 may be provided by a radial spherical plain bearing. The second positioning component 242 may be defined in a positioning bracket 243. In the example shown in Figure 3B, the positioning bracket 243 extends upwards from the upper surface of the fuselage 201. The fuselage 201 comprises a second electrical connection interface 252. The second electrical connection interface 252 is configured to engage with the wing 202 to provide an electrical connection with components comprised in the wing 202. The second electrical connection interface 252 may comprise a plurality of electrical contacts, which may be arranged to interface with a corresponding plurality of electrical contacts on the wing 202. In the arrangement shown, the second electrical connection interface 252 is comprised in the second mounting element 222. In particular, the second electrical connection interface 252 is arranged adjacent, for example below, the second fastening component 232, and may be positioned between the first mounting pin 222a and the second mounting pin 222b. The mounting bracket 223 may be fixed to the fuselage 201 via a base portion (not shown). The base portion can be provided on an inside wall of the fuselage 201 and fixed thereto by bolts 216 through the cylindrical wall of the fuselage 201. Similarly, the positioning bracket 243 may be fixed to the fuselage 201 by the same or a separate base portion (not shown) provided on an inside wall of the fuselage 201 and fixed thereto by bolts 216 through the cylindrical wall of the fuselage 201. As such, each of the mounting bracket 223 and the positioning bracket 243 may extend from the inner wall of the fuselage 201 to an exterior of the fuselage 201 through slots or openings 217. With reference to Figures 3A and 3B, the UAV 200 is configured such that the wing 202 can be mounted on the fuselage 201 via the first mounting element 221 being mounted to the second mounting element 222. In particular, the first mounting hole 221a is configured to receive the first mounting pin 222a and the second mounting hole 221b is configured to receive the second mounting pin 222b. Such mounting is arranged to provide structural support between the wing 202 and the fuselage 201. For example, the wing mounting means may be arranged to take most or all of the structural load between the wing 202 and the fuselage 201. The UAV 200 is configured such that, after mounting, the wing 202 can be fastened to the fuselage 201 by the first fastening component 231 being fastened to the second fastening component 232. In particular, the first fastening component 231, which may be a bolt, can be threadingly received by the second fastening component 232, which may be a nut, to form a threaded engagement therebetween by rotation of the second fastening component 232 relative to the fuselage 201. Such rotation may be performed by rotating the fastening handle 233. The UAV 200 is configured such that, after mounting and during fastening, the wing 202 can be properly positioned with respect to the fuselage 201 by the positioning mechanism. In particular, the first positioning component 241, which may be a pin, can be received by the second positioning component 242, which may be a hole, to position and align the wing 202 with respect to the fuselage 201. For example, the second positioning component 242 may be arranged such that, as the first positioning component 241 moves rearward further into the hole, by virtue of the fastening of the fastening mechanism, the pin is drawn closer to the upper surface of the fuselage 201 to close or reduce the gap between the lower surface of the wing 202 and the upper surface of the fuselage 201. The UAV 200 is configured such that, after mounting, an electrical connection can be formed between the wing 202 and the fuselage by the first electrical connection interface 251 contacting the second electrical connection interface 252. In this way, connection of the wing 202 with the fuselage 201 can provide an electrical connection for controlling the ailerons 206. To illustrate how the wing 202 and the fuselage are attached together, Figure 4A shows the wing 202 separated from the fuselage 201 and Figure 4B shows the wing 202 connected to the fuselage 201. For clarity, the upper surface of the wing 202 has been omitted together with any space filling structures. With particular reference to Figure 4A, the wing 202 comprises at least one spar configured to provide structural support to the wing 202. The at least one spar may be surrounded by a foam structure (not shown) in order to provide further structural support without significantly increasing the mass of the wing 202. The at least one spar may be configured to support on the wing the first mounting element 221, the first fastening component 231, the first positioning component 241, and / or the first electrical connection interface 251. The at least one spar may comprise a first spar 271 and a second spar 272. The first spar 271 and the second spar 272 extend along the wingspan. The first spar 271 is positioned forward of the second spar 272 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. The first spar 271 and / or the second spar 272 may have a substantially rectangular cross section. In the arrangement shown, the first mounting element 221, including the first fastening component 231, is arranged in the wing 202 via the first spar 271. As shown in Figure 4A, the first spar 271 is positioned in the wing 202 forward of the first opening 261 in a direction along the longitudinal axis. The first positioning component 241 is arranged in the wing 202 via the second spar 272. The second spar 272 is positioned in the wing 202 forward of the second opening 262. The second spar 272 is positioned between the first opening 261 and the second opening 262. The operation of the wing mounting means will now be described with reference to Figures 4A and 4B. Firstly, the wing 202 is orientated with respect to the fuselage 201 to align the first mounting element 221 with the second mounting element 222 and to align the first positioning component 241 with the second positioning component 242. As shown in Figure 4B, this can be achieved by inserting the mounting bracket 223 into the first opening 261 and inserting the positioning bracket 243 into the second opening 262. The wing 202 can be mounted onto the fuselage by inserting the mounting pins 222a, 222b into the corresponding mounting holes 221a, 221b and by inserting the first fastening component 231 into the second fastening component 232. At the same time, the first positioning component 241 is inserted into the second positioning component 242. By rotating the second fastening component 232, for example via the fastening handle 233, the first fastening component 231 is drawn further into the second fastening component 232 by virtue of the threaded engagement. This brings the wing 202 rearward relative to the fuselage and moves the first positioning component 241 further into the second positioning component 242. The wing 202 is fully mounted and fastened to the fuselage 201 once the second fastening component 232 is tightly fastened to the first fastening component 231. To unfasten the wing 202 from the fuselage 201, it will be appreciated that the opposite steps can be carried out by rotating the second fastening component 232 in the opposite direction so as to separate the fastening mechanism, and the wing 202 can be detached by moving the wing 202 forward relative to the fuselage 201 to thereby separate the first mounting element 221 from the second mounting element 222. Figure 5 shows a top view of the UAV, in particular the wing 202 connected to the fuselage 201. The wing 202 comprises an opening 263 on an upper surface thereof. The opening 263 is arranged to provide access to the second fastening component 232 from the upper surface of the wing 202, for example via the fastening handle 233. In this way, a user can mount the wing 202 to the fuselage and fasten the fastening mechanism from the upper surface of the wing 202. It will be appreciated from the above description that many features of the different examples are interchangeable and combinable. The disclosure extends to further examples comprising features from different examples combined together in ways not specifically mentioned. Indeed, there are many features presented in the above examples and it will be apparent to the skilled person that these may be advantageously combined with one another. It will be appreciated from the discussion above that the embodiments shown in the Figures are merely exemplary, and include features which may be generalised, removed or replaced as described herein and as set out in the claims. Further embodiments are envisaged. It is to be understood that any feature described in relation to any one embodiment may be used alone, or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of the embodiments, or any combination of any other of the embodiments. 5 Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the accompanying claims. Where ranges are recited herein these are to be understood as disclosures of the limits of said range and any intermediate values between the two limits. 10 Method embodiments may be implemented using the apparatus described herein. The above embodiments are to be understood as illustrative examples. Further embodiments are envisaged. It is to be understood that any feature described in relation to any one embodiment may be used alone, or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of 15 the embodiments, or any combination of any other of the embodiments. Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the accompanying claims. These claims are to be interpreted with due regard for equivalents.

Claims

1. A land-launched unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, comprising a liquid-fuelled gas turbine engine configured to facilitate cruise flight, wherein the UAV comprises:a fuselage;a wing; andwing mounting means configured to facilitate mounting of the wing to an upper surface of the fuselage;wherein the wing mounting means comprise a fastening mechanism configured to detachably fasten the wing to the fuselage, and wherein the fastening mechanism is operable by hand.

2. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the wing comprises an opening on an upper surface thereof, the opening being configured to provide access to the fastening mechanism to facilitate fastening of the wing to the fuselage by hand.

3. The UAV of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the fastening mechanism comprises a first fastening component on the wing and a second fastening component on the fuselage, wherein the first fastening component and the second fastening component are releasably engageable by hand.

4. The UAV of claim 3, wherein the second fastening component is rotatably mounted on the fuselage.

5. The UAV of claim 4, wherein the second fastening component is configured to receive and threadingly engage the first fastening component by rotation of the second fastening component relative to the fuselage.

6. The UAV of any preceding claim, wherein the wing mounting means comprises a first mounting element on the wing and a second mounting element on the fuselage.

7. The UAV of claim 6, wherein the first mounting element comprises at least one mounting hole and the second mounting element comprises at least one mounting pin,wherein the at least one mounting hole is arranged to receive the at least one mounting pin to provide structural support between the wing and the fuselage.

8. The UAV of claim 7, wherein the at least one mounting pin comprises a first mounting pin and a second mounting pin, wherein the first mounting pin and the second mounting pin are arranged on opposite sides of the fastening mechanism.

9. The UAV of any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the first mounting element comprises a first electrical connection interface and the second mounting element comprises a second electrical connection interface arranged to cooperate with the first electrical connection interface.

10. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the first electrical connection interface is electrically connected to at least one aileron assembly of the wing to control the at least one aileron.

11. The UAV of any preceding claim, wherein the wing mounting means further comprises a positioning mechanism, the positioning mechanism comprising a first positioning component on the wing and a second positioning component on the fuselage, wherein the first positioning component and the second positioning component are configured to cooperate with each other to position the wing with respect to the fuselage when the wing is fastened to the fuselage by the fastening mechanism.

12. The UAV of claim 11, wherein the second positioning component is arranged to receive the first positioning component in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fuselage.

13. The UAV of claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the positioning mechanism is arranged rearward of the fastening mechanism.

14. The UAV of any preceding claim, wherein the wing mounting means are arranged such that the wing can be detached from the fuselage by disengaging the fastening mechanism.

15. The UAV of any preceding claim, wherein the gas turbine engine is a turbojet.

16. The UAV of any preceding claim, wherein the UAV is configured as a one-way effect drone.

17. The UAV of any preceding claim, wherein the wingspan is between 2.5 and 3.5 m.

18. The UAV of any preceding claim, wherein the wing comprises downwardly-pointedwinglets.

19. The UAV of any preceding claim, further comprising a payload region configured to house a high-explosive fragmentation payload, the payload having a mass between 10 kg and 20 kg.

20. The UAV of any preceding claim, configured to have a maximum speed of at least 400 kilometres per hour.

21. The UAV of any preceding claim, wherein the UAV has a dry operating mass between 27 and 35 kg.

22. A fuselage for a land-launched unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, the UAV comprising a liquid-fuelled gas turbine engine, wherein the fuselage comprises:a mounting element positioned on an upper surface of the fuselage and configured to receive a wing; anda fastening component configured to releasably fasten the fuselage to the wing by hand.

23. A wing for a land-launched unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, the UAV comprising a liquid-fuelled gas turbine engine, wherein the wing comprises:a mounting element configured to be mounted on an upper surface of a fuselage of the UAV; anda fastening component configured to releasably fasten the wing to the fuselage by hand.

24. A method of assembling a land-launched unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, the method comprising:providing a wing;providing a fuselage, the fuselage comprising a liquid-fuelled gas turbine engine;providing wing mounting means, the wing mounting means comprising a fastening mechanism;mounting the wing onto an upper surface of the fuselage via the wing mounting means; andfastening the wing to the fuselage by operating the fastening mechanism by hand.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the fastening mechanism comprises a first fastening component on the wing and a second fastening component rotatably mounted on the fuselage, and wherein fastening the wing to the fuselage comprises rotating the second fastening component by hand to releasably engage with the first fastening component.

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