The company was founded in Genoa in 1884, fitting out ocean liners and manufacturing rolling stock for the developing railway infrastructure at the turn of the century. This successful business led Rinaldo Piaggio to build a factory in 1906 in Final Marina, today the site of Piaggio Aero’s facility at Finale Ligure. The manufacture of aircraft and aircraft engines started in 1915 and 1925, respectively. 

Two engineers, Giovanni Pegna and Giuseppe Gabrielli, joined Piaggio in the 1920s and their arrival marked a turning point in the company’s history. They made a major contribution to the development of its aeronautic roots by pioneering innovative technical solutions for aviation. This period of the company’s history culminated in the design and build of the world’s first helicopter, an exceptional accomplishment for its time. 

In 1938 the 71 year-old Senator Rinaldo Piaggio died in Genoa, marking the end of an era. World War II destroyed the Company’s facilities, forcing Piaggio to reorganise the company: Rinaldo’s sons - Enrico, the inventor of the Vespa motor scooter, and Armando, supervised the recovery process. 

In 1948, Piaggio launched the P136, a twin-engine seaplane operated by the Italian Air Force to perform liaison and transport missions.   In 1953, the P149 basic training aircraft reached a pinnacle of success when 265 units were ordered by the German Luftwaffe.  And, in 1957 the P166 light transport aircraft was developed and produced for the military and civilian markets around the world.  This aircraft is still in use by the Italian Air Force, Duardia di Finanza and Guardia Costiere.

In 1960 Piaggio began manufacturing jet engines with the production, under license, of the Rolls Royce VIPER.  This activity has subsequently been expanded into a significant proportion of the company’s current business.

In 1966 Piaggio was separated into two independent companies, one focusing on the Vespa motor scooter and it’s developments, the other on aeronautical activities.  Today the two companies are autonomous, sharing only the Piaggio name. 

The P180 project was the culmination of a ten-year research study which led to the 1990 certification of a new product for an emerging business aircraft market.  The P180 Avanti was designed to offer jet performance at the cost of a turboprop.  It proved to be a breakthough in aerospace design that far exceeded the peroformance of its contemporaries with industry leading performance, passenger comfort and speed.

In November 1998, the assets of Rinaldo Piaggio S.p.A. were acquired by a group of entrepreneurs headed by the Di Mase and Ferrari families and renamed Piaggio Aero Industries.   Piaggio Aero Industries has once again been reestablished as a world leader in the design and production of business aircraft.