At Dronitaly 2026, an Italian project was unveiled that could radically change the way wildfires are tackled. In an interview conducted by Stefano Orsi for Dronezine magazine, inventor Italo Vannelli explained how an innovative aerial system designed for firefighting works.

The project is based on a patent called TTH – TwinTail Helicopter, a completely new aeronautical architecture designed to increase efficiency, payload capacity, and construction simplicity.

A new approach to firefighting drones

The idea stems from a very clear premise: current drones, powered exclusively by batteries, have significant limitations when it comes to payload and endurance.

To address this issue, the project proposes a different solution:
replacing batteries with an internal combustion generator.

The demonstrator presented at Dronitaly uses:

• a 35 cc two-stroke engine
• water cooling
• approximately 2 kW of power

This system generates electrical energy to power the aircraft and overcomes one of the main limitations of traditional drones.

The ultimate goal is ambitious: to build an aircraft capable of carrying a 1,000-liter Bambi Bucket for wildfire suppression.

The innovative TwinTail Helicopter architecture

The core of the patent lies in the helicopter’s architecture.

Traditional helicopters use a main rotor and a tail rotor to counteract the torque generated by the spinning blades. This results in a loss of efficiency: about 30% of the power is used just to keep the aircraft stable.

The TTH system, instead, uses:

• two counter-rotating main rotors (coaxial)
• two rear motors for attitude control

Thanks to the opposite rotation of the rotors, torque is naturally canceled out, eliminating the need for a tail rotor.

Flight control is achieved through the two rear motors:

• same thrust direction → pitch control (forward/backward)
• opposite thrust → roll control (left/right)
• rotor speed difference → yaw control

This approach enables simpler mechanics and potentially greater efficiency compared to traditional helicopters.

A project born from independent innovation

One of the most interesting aspects of the project is its origin.

It is not a large industrial program, but the work of a small multidisciplinary team coordinated by Vannelli, who works professionally as an accountant but also has a background as an aeronautical construction technician.

The project was developed thanks to collaboration with:

• a software engineer specialized in DIY drone building
• a craftsman experienced in fixed-wing and helicopter modeling

The demonstrator presented at Dronitaly is therefore the first concrete proof of the aeronautical concept.

The goal: fighting wildfires

The project was developed within the association founded by Vannelli, No Fire Zone, with the aim of creating new technologies to combat wildfires.

To encourage industrial development, the inventor stated that the cost of using the patent will be purely symbolic, provided it is used to build operational firefighting vehicles.

During the event, the team issued a call to manufacturers of:

• ultralight helicopters
• autogyros
• professional drones

interested in developing the project at full scale.

A possible future for aerial firefighting

If the project evolves into operational production, it could open new possibilities in the field of automated aerial firefighting.

An autonomous or remotely operated aircraft capable of carrying large amounts of water could:

• reduce risks for pilots
• lower operating costs
• increase response speed to wildfires

The presentation of the TTH patent at Dronitaly marks a first step toward a new generation of firefighting aircraft based on advanced UAV technologies.

For the drone and Italian light aviation sector, this is undoubtedly a project worth following closely.