Piaggio Updates Expansion Plans

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Piaggio Aero, the Italian company that builds the unique Avanti P180 twin turboprop, said this week at the NBAA convention in Orlando they will now be known as Piaggio Aerospace. The change reflects a new direction for the company, which plans to expand its product portfolio and grow in new markets. The company will continue to focus on the new version of the P180, now known as Evo, which is still in development, but also will devote resources to testing a “new and unique” unmanned aerial system, the HammerHead. A new prototype of the UAS is in the works and first flight is expected by the end of the year, the company said.

Certification of the Evo, which was introduced this summer, is expected from EASA “shortly,” the company said. A surveillance and patrol version of the turboprop is also in development, which will be marketed to security and enforcement operators. The Multirole Patrol Aircraft will have the capability to remain aloft up to 10 hours, and can carry a wide range of special systems and sensors with plenty of space for crew and operators. The company is moving forward with an influx of investment from new owners who signed on earlier this year. The company is also making progress on the construction of a new manufacturing facility in Villanova d’Albenga, Italy.

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