Hammerhead Performs Taxi Tests Prior to First Flight

Hammerhead Performs Taxi Tests Prior to First Flight

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Piaggio Aero claims its new drone will offer an unmatched combination of range, wide operative speeds, fast climb gradient, high operational ceiling and the capability to carry a variety of payloads, providing end users with a powerful yet flexible defense system that outperforms other MALE Systems.

Piaggio Aero Industries unveiled at the 2013 Paris Air Show today, the Piaggio Aero P.1HH “HammerHead”- Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). The P.1HH HammerHead technological demonstrator was designed and built in less than one year and it has already successfully completed low speed taxi tests. Defense-Update reports.

Piaggio Aero claims its new drone will offer an unmatched combination of range, wide operative speeds, fast climb gradient, high operational ceiling and the capability to carry a variety of payloads, providing end users with a powerful yet flexible defense system that outperforms other MALE Systems.

The unmanned variant is longer tan the Avanti II and is using a modified airframe, longer wings with high aspect ratio, and various installations of mission payloads, satellite links and line-of-site payloads. The Hammerhead is bound to become the largest UAS in Europe.

The design of the P.1HH HammerHead aims to be a unique ISR platform, able to climb up to 45.000 feet, loitering quietly at low speed (135 KTAS) with an endurance of up to 16 flight hours and capable of deploying at very high speed – up to 395 KTAS – to targets. Its capabilities include being able to host several payload combinations and to perform multiple missions: aerial, land, coastal, maritime and offshore security, COMINT/ELINT, electronic warfare as well as other roles.

A larger version is available to Defense-Update Members.

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Piaggio Aero Industries unveiled at the 2013 Paris Air Show today, the Piaggio Aero P.1HH “HammerHead”- Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). The P.1HH HammerHead technological demonstrator was designed and built in less than one year and it has already successfully completed low speed taxi tests. Photo: Tamir Eshel, Defense-Update