Italian aircraft manufacturer Piaggio Aerospace resumed flight test activity on July 6, 2017, of the second prototype of its P.1HH HammerHead, the state-of-the-art multipurpose unmanned aerial system (UAS) at Trapani-Birgi military airport in Trapani, Sicily.
P.1HH is an unmanned aerial system designed for aero, marine and terrestrial surveillance and reconnaissance. Designed, developed and manufactured entirely in Italy, P.1HH is the only remotely piloted MALE (medium altitude long endurance) system in Europe. Consisting of two remotely piloted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a ground control station, and integrated navigation and mission systems, the P.1HH system is positioned at the very top end of remotely piloted MALE aircrafts.
The P.1HH program integrates the capabilities of Italian companies, including Leonardo and Piaggio Aerospace, with the fundamental support of the Italian Ministry of Defense and the Italian Air Force.
The resumption of flight tests follows the completion of an intensive program of on-the-ground testing in recent months. The completion of the system and the first deliveries are planned for 2018, in the context of the wider development plans of Piaggio Aerospace.
July 12, 2017