# Aerospace patent attorneys for aviation and space startups

> Flat-fee aerospace patent attorney services for aviation, drone and space startups. Start with a $999 patentability search, refunded if it isn't patentable.

Page: https://arapackelaw.com/industries/aerospace/  
Title: Aerospace Patent Attorney for Aviation and Space Startups  
Breadcrumb: [Home](https://arapackelaw.com/) / [Industries](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/) / [Aerospace](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/aerospace/)

We protect the aircraft, the spacecraft and the name on them, filed before a flight test or an air show makes them public. One flat fee for each step.

- $999 patentability search
- No hourly billing
- Registered patent attorneys

## For the people who build what flies.

From an air taxi startup to a supplier improving one part of an engine, the work starts the same way. Find out what is new, then protect it before it flies in public or goes out to a customer.

- **Aviation and eVTOL startups** Aircraft, electric propulsion and air taxi teams, protected before the first public flight or investor demo.
- **Drone and UAS makers** Unmanned aircraft, payloads and the flight control software that runs them, from delivery drones to inspection fleets.
- **Space startups** Launch vehicles, satellites, in-space systems and the ground software that operates them.
- **Aerospace suppliers** Parts, materials, avionics and repair methods, with ownership checked against the supply agreement from day one.

## Four things worth protecting in aerospace technology.

An aircraft, a drone or a satellite carries several layers of protection. A patent on how it works, a design patent on how it looks and a trademark on its name each stop a different kind of copy.

### The vehicle and its systems (utility patent)

Airframes, propulsion, avionics and the mechanisms that make them work. Claims are written around what your design does better than what flies today, such as less weight, less drag or fewer parts.

- Airframes and structures
- Propulsion and electric drives
- Avionics and sensors
- Landing gear and actuators

### Software, materials and manufacturing (utility patent)

Flight control, navigation and satellite operations software, claimed as a specific technical process, along with new composites, alloys and the ways parts are built and inspected.

- Flight control and autonomy
- Satellite and ground systems
- Composites and alloys
- Printed and machined parts

### The look of the aircraft and its parts (design patent)

The ornamental design of an aircraft body, a drone, a cabin interior or a cockpit display, protected for 15 years from grant.

- Aircraft and drone bodies
- Cabin seats and interiors
- Displays and control interfaces

Covered by The RLG Guarantee (USPTO denies it, full refund).

### The aircraft and company name (trademark)

Clear and file the name before it goes on the aircraft, the website and investor decks, so the name customers and operators know is one you can keep.

- Aircraft, drone and satellite names
- Company names
- Logos

Covered by The RLG Guarantee (Approved, or your money back).

**Some things stay secret.** Process settings, test data and manufacturing know-how no one can learn from the finished part may be worth more as trade secrets than as published patents. Your attorney tells you which on your first call.

## Search, provisional, utility. Flat fees at every step.

Every step is quoted before any work begins, and the search fee is credited when you file. Most aerospace founders file a provisional before a public flight, an air show or a conference paper, then the full application within 12 months.

### Start here, Patentability search

**$999** flat fee. Patentable or your money back. Credited when you file. Report in about 5 days.

- An invention discovery call with your attorney
- A search of US and foreign patents and published applications
- A written patentability report and a review call

Covered by [The RLG Guarantee](https://arapackelaw.com/rlg-guarantee/) (Not patentable, full refund).

### Then, Provisional patent

**$2,500 to $3,500** flat fee. . Patent pending the day it is filed.

- A strategy call to capture how the system works
- Drafted by a registered patent attorney
- You review and approve it before filing

Covered by [The RLG Guarantee](https://arapackelaw.com/rlg-guarantee/) (Patentability issues, full refund).

### Within 12 months, Non-provisional patent

**$7,000 to $12,000** flat fee. Drawings and USPTO filing fees included. Filed before your 12-month deadline.

- Claims and a full specification written for examination
- Formal drawings and USPTO filing fees
- Complex systems quoted flat on your call

Flat fee, not covered by the guarantee.

### Alongside the patent

- **Design patent, $3,200.** For the aircraft body or a part, office actions included. Covered by The RLG Guarantee.
- **Trademark, $2,000.** For the aircraft or company name, USPTO fee for one class included. Covered by The RLG Guarantee.

## Patent the design. Certify the aircraft. Time both.

A patent decides who can make and sell the technology. FAA certification decides whether it can fly commercially, and it can take years. Test flights, air shows and supplier quotes all put the design in front of others, so the filing has to come first.

### Patent, who can make and sell it

1. **Search** ($999). What is already out there?
2. **Provisional** (File first). Patent pending, before the first public flight
3. **Full application** (Month 12). Within 12 months
4. **Examination** (USPTO). The USPTO reviews the claims
5. **Granted**. Rights you can enforce

### Aircraft, when others see it

1. **Design and ground tests** (Keep it in-house). Models, rigs and test stands
2. **Suppliers and partners** (Use an NDA). Parts, tooling and test partners
3. **Flight tests and air shows** (Disclosure risk). Visible to anyone watching
4. **Certification** (Can take years). FAA approval of the design
5. **Entry into service**. Deliveries and operations

**File before the first public flight.** A test flight in public view, an air show, a conference paper or a pitch deck can make an invention public. The US gives you one year after your own disclosure, but most other countries do not. File at least a provisional first.

- **Long programs, a fixed patent term.** A US patent ends 20 years after the full application is filed, and a provisional's 12 months do not count toward that term. Programs that take years to certify often file improvements as the design changes, so protection keeps pace with the aircraft. [When does a patent expire](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/when-does-patent-expire/)
- **Foreign aircraft passing through.** Using a patented invention on a foreign aircraft that is in the US only temporarily, for the aircraft's own needs, is not infringement when that country treats US aircraft the same way. Patents where competitors build and sell matter more than the airports they fly into. [Protecting an invention abroad](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/patent-pct/)
- **Government money and export rules.** Work funded by NASA or another federal agency usually carries a patent rights clause, and some aerospace technical data falls under export rules. Both shape who owns the invention and who can see it, and our defense page covers how they meet a patent filing. [Defense patents and contracts](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/defense/)

*General information, not legal, certification or export control advice. The rules that apply depend on your aircraft or spacecraft, your contracts and how the technology is classified for export.*

## Services for aerospace companies.

One firm for the patent, the brand and the agreements around them.

- [Utility patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/utility-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/utility-patents.md). Protect how the aircraft or system works.
- [Provisional patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patents.md). Patent pending before the first public flight. Covered by The RLG Guarantee.
- [Design patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/design-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/design-patents.md). Protect how the aircraft or part looks. Covered by The RLG Guarantee.
- [Trademarks](https://arapackelaw.com/trademarks/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/trademarks.md). Register the aircraft and company name. Covered by The RLG Guarantee.
- [PCT patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/pct-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/pct-patents.md). Protect the design where competitors build.
- [Technology transfer agreements](https://arapackelaw.com/technology-transfer-agreements/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/technology-transfer-agreements.md). Move technology between partners, labs and suppliers.
- [Non-disclosure agreements](https://arapackelaw.com/non-disclosure-agreements-ndas/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/non-disclosure-agreements-ndas.md). Share with suppliers and test partners on your terms.
- [Patent litigation](https://arapackelaw.com/ip-litigation/patent-litigation/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/ip-litigation/patent-litigation.md). Enforce or defend an aerospace patent.

## Before you file.

### Can aerospace technology be patented?

Yes. Aircraft, drones, spacecraft and the systems inside them are examined under the same rules as any other invention. A new structure, propulsion method, control system, material or way of making a part can be patented when it is new and not obvious over what already flies, which is why the work starts with a search.

### When should an aerospace startup file a patent?

Before anything leaves your team without an NDA. A public test flight, an air show, a conference paper, a pitch deck or a supplier quote can make an invention public. The US gives inventors one year after their own disclosure, but most other countries require filing first, so a provisional keeps both options open.

### Does FAA certification affect a patent?

They are separate. A patent decides who can make and sell the technology, and FAA certification decides whether it can operate commercially. Neither gives you the other. Because certification can take years and a patent's term runs from filing, many teams file early and add applications for improvements as the design changes.

### Are inventions used in space covered by US patents?

Under US patent law, an invention made, used or sold in outer space on a space object under US jurisdiction or control is treated as made, used or sold in the United States. An object carried on another country's registry is outside that rule unless an agreement between the US and that country says otherwise.

### Do foreign aircraft infringe a US patent when they fly here?

Usually not. Using a patented invention on a foreign aircraft that enters the US temporarily is not infringement if the invention serves only the aircraft's own needs and the aircraft's country gives US aircraft the same treatment. Selling the invention in the US, or using it to make things sold here, is not covered by that exception.

### Utility patent or design patent for an aircraft part?

They protect different things. A utility patent protects how a part works or how it is made. A design patent protects how it looks, such as the shape of a drone body or a cabin seat. Many aerospace products are worth protecting both ways, and the search shows which is stronger for yours.

### How much does an aerospace patent cost with your firm?

Flat fees at every step. A $999 patentability search, a provisional application at $2,500 to $3,500 depending on the invention, and a non-provisional application at $7,000 to $12,000 with drawings and USPTO filing fees included. A design patent is $3,200. Every fee is quoted before work begins, and the search fee is credited toward your application.

### What does The RLG Guarantee cover for aerospace inventions?

The patentability search, the provisional application, design patents and trademarks. If the search finds your invention is not novel, you get a full refund or another search. If patentability issues come up on your provisional, a full refund or more searches. If the USPTO denies your design application, you get a full refund. If it refuses your trademark, you get a refund or a new mark. Non-provisional applications are not covered. Refunds are subject to the RLG Guarantee Policy in your engagement letter.

## Your attorneys

- [Andrew Rapacke](https://arapackelaw.com/learn-more/the-team/andrew-rapacke/), Managing Partner, Registered Patent Attorney. Electrical and computer engineering. Former Naval Engineering Officer.
- [Ken Brooks](https://arapackelaw.com/team/ken-brooks/), Registered Patent Attorney. Software, AI and machine learning, electrical and mechanical systems.

Meet the team at https://arapackelaw.com/learn-more/the-team/

## Go deeper before you file.

- [When Does a Patent Expire and How to Calculate Your Real Protection Window](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/when-does-patent-expire/)
- [Provisional Patent Application: The Fastest Way to Get Patent Pending](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patent-application/)
- [Patent PCT Filing to Protect Your Invention Globally](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/patent-pct/)
- [Design Patent vs Utility Patent: Shield Your Product Design with the Right Legal Protection](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/design-patent-vs-utility-patent/)
- [Patent Continuation: A Comprehensive Guide to Evolving Your Patent Protection](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/patent-continuation/)
- [5 Examples of Trade Secrets and How They Fit into Your Intellectual Property Strategy](https://arapackelaw.com/intellectual-property/examples-of-trade-secrets/)

[All articles](https://arapackelaw.com/learning-center/)

## Other industries

- [3D printing](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/3d-printing/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/3d-printing.md). Printers, processes, materials and the products they make.
- [AI and machine learning](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ai-machine-learning/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ai-machine-learning.md). Models, training methods and the AI features inside your product.
- [Autonomous vehicles](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/autonomous-vehicles/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/autonomous-vehicles.md). Sensing, navigation and control systems for vehicles that drive themselves.
- [Blockchain](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/blockchain/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/blockchain.md). Protocols, wallets and the technical methods behind decentralized products.
- [Computer hardware](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/computer-hardware/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/computer-hardware.md). Components, peripherals and the systems that tie them together.
- [Consumer electronics](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-electronics/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-electronics.md). Devices people carry and use every day, from how they work to how they look.
- [Consumer products](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-products/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-products.md). Everyday products and the brands on them, protected before launch.
- [Cybersecurity](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/cybersecurity/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/cybersecurity.md). Security software and hardware, and what to patent or keep secret.
- [Defense](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/defense/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/defense.md). Defense technology, planned around contracts and export rules.
- [Digital health](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/digital-health/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/digital-health.md). Telehealth, remote monitoring and health apps, built around patient data.
- [E-commerce](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ecommerce/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ecommerce.md). Online brands and Amazon sellers, from the trademark to the product itself.
- [Electrical hardware](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/electrical/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/electrical.md). Power electronics, controls, sensors, batteries and motors, from circuit to system.
- [Energy and clean tech](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/energy/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/energy.md). Batteries, solar, storage, charging and the grid, from the cell to the system.
- [Fintech](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/fintech/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/fintech.md). Payments, lending and trading technology, claimed as technical improvements.
- [Gaming](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/gaming/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/gaming.md). Game engines, mechanics, controllers and titles, protected before the reveal.
- [Medical devices](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/medical-devices/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/medical-devices.md). Devices, diagnostics and software as a medical device, timed with the FDA.
- [Robotics](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/robotics/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/robotics.md). Robots, grippers and the software that moves them, protected before the pilot.
- [Semiconductors](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/semiconductors/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/semiconductors.md). Chip design, fabrication processes and packaging.
- [Software and SaaS](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/software-saas/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/software-saas.md). The methods your platform performs, protected however the code is written.
- [Sporting goods](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/sporting-goods/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/sporting-goods.md). Equipment and gear, from how it performs to the design customers recognize.

## Next steps

- [Book a free strategy call](https://arapackelaw.com/contact-us/) with a registered patent attorney, or call (954) 951-0154
- [Take the Intelligent IP Quiz](https://arapackelaw.com/intelligent-ip-quiz/) to see what to protect first
- [The RLG Guarantee](https://arapackelaw.com/rlg-guarantee/), the refund promise on four services

General information, not legal advice.