Visiting Paris airshow for the first time the Piaggio Hammerhead is certainly the most dashing UA entrant. Based on its existing manned platform the Hammerhead is a fast high performance machine as one might expect from the Italians.

The Piaggio Aero P.1HH UAS includes an unmanned aircraft platform, specific mission equipment and systems and a remote Ground Control Station (GCS).  It also features automatic take-off and landing capabilities and is able to fly at up to 45,000 ft, with an endurance of 16 flight hours. The Piaggio Aero P.1HH ‘Hammer Head’ UAV will also be compliant with the STANAG USAR 4671 standards that enable it to fly both in restricted and unrestricted flight areas.

Like the Piaggio Aero multirole patrol aircraft (MPA) presented in July 2012, the ‘HammerHead’ unmanned aircraft – part of the P.1HH unmanned aerial system – is a derivative of the Piaggio Aero P.180 Avanti II platform, newly designed for multi mission purposes such as aerial, land, coastal, maritime and offshore security, COMINT/ELINT missions, and electronic warfare.     The P.1HH ‘HammerHead’ unmanned aircraft’s main features are an enhanced airframe, increased aerodynamic configuration with a reinforced wing providing an increased surface and higher aspect ratio. The aerodynamic configuration is based on the development of new wings providing a 15.5 m wing span with the subsequent modification of the previous P.180 aerodynamic design but maintaining  Piaggio Aero’s patented three lifting surfaces configuration.

The aircraft features a removable external section wing in order to guarantee easy ground transportation and provide operational flexibility in an  environment. This modified aerodynamic configuration underwent extensive low speed/high speed wind tunnel testing to validate both its design and performance.   The P.1HH ‘HammerHead’ aircraft will be remotlycontrolled from a autonomous mission control ground station (GCS) by both a Line Of Sight (LOS) and Beyond Line Of Sight (BLOS)  satellite communication system.

The Piaggio Aero UAS features a state of the art Vehicle Control & Management System (VCMS) combined with a sophisticated Air Data Terminal (ADT) and a customised Mission Management System (MMS) for the control of all mission specific equipment.   The P.1HH ‘HammerHead’ unmanned aircraft is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-66B turboprop engines, rated at 950 shp, and features newly designed, low noise Hartzell 5 curved blades propellers. The propulsion system will be remote-controlled by an engine interface unit, which is part of the P.1HH Vehicle Control and Management System.

“The P.1HH ‘HammerHead’ Unmanned Aerial System program represents the most important and challenging project for Piaggio Aero. It supports Piaggio Aero’s vision of becoming a prominent player in the surveillance and security sector producing leading edge Unmanned Aerial Systems and world class Multirole Patrol Aircraft,” said Alberto Galassi, chief executive officer of Piaggio Aero Industries.

“In today’s military, unmanned systems are highly regarded for their versatility for different roles and applications.Being ideally designed to perform  at the highest, sensitive mission level in patrol, detection and  reconnaissance environments, the P.1HH UAS will provide   sophisticated stand-off capabilities for any surveillance and security need.”  He added: “With the development of  a new generation of Multirole Patrol Aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Systems, Piaggio Aero  is creating its future,  with the fundamental support of our world class shareholders,  Mubadala Aerospace and Tata Ltd” .

Selex ES has been selected as the Piaggio Aero UAS systems partner.

Through this partnership, Selex ES will be responsible for the development of the mission management system, the vehicle management and control system, air data terminal and the ground control segment for the Piaggio Aero P.1HH ‘Hammer Head’ UAS.

“We are proud to have been selected by Piaggio Aero as partner in this unique and very ambitious programme that brings together the expertise of two leading Italian companies in the aerospace and defence domain,” said Fabrizio Giulianini, CEO of Selex ES.

“This achievement rewards the effort and investment that Selex ES has dedicated to the development of key enabling technologies and know-how in autonomous unmanned systems. These are integrated into our SkyISTAR system solution that, after less than two years from its launch, is now securing its first customer. This programme is a step forward in bringing to market a truly European MALE ISR UAS.” -