VerdeGo Aero, Inc., a leader in high-performance hybrid-electric propulsion technologies, announces the latest upgrades to its Hybrid Systems Integration Lab (HSIL), enhancing testing capabilities with newly integrated hardware-in-the-loop flight simulation. Over the past five years, commercial and military programs have leveraged VerdeGo’s specialized ground-testing facilities in Daytona Beach, FL to accelerate the development of hybrid-electric aircraft and drone powertrains. The upgraded HSIL now provides an even faster path to market, enabling simulated piloted flight integrated with VerdeGo’s hybrid powerplants. The HSIL helps customers reduce development timelines by capitalizing on VerdeGo’s extensive investments in advanced equipment, proven expertise, and real-world testing capabilities.

Purpose-built for next-generation aircraft development, the HSIL enables real-world integration, testing, and validation of hybrid-electric powertrain systems for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and advanced air mobility (AAM) applications. The lab allows aircraft designers to conduct integration testing of all elements of their electrified powertrains, including VerdeGo hybrid-electric powerplants, their own battery packs, power distribution systems, control systems, and even downstream electric motors, resulting in a fully customized “iron bird” or “copper bird” test setup.

“VerdeGo Aero has been at the forefront of hybrid-electric propulsion, and the HSIL demonstrates how we’re supporting the industry’s next step forward,” said Eric Bartsch, CEO. “By opening this lab to partners, we’re helping aircraft developers reduce program risk, accelerate schedules, and unlock the full potential of hybrid-electric technology.”

Through its modular simulation tools and hardware-in-the-loop architecture, the HSIL enables rapid reconfiguration of power demands, loads, and control inputs to meet mission-specific needs. VerdeGo’s multi-million-dollar investment in these capabilities gives partners access to testing environments that would otherwise require significant internal resources to replicate. Located on Daytona Beach’s Class C airport, the facility supports full-scale testing in a true aviation environment, free from external timing or scheduling limitations.

VerdeGo’s customers operate on accelerated development timelines, often adapting aircraft originally designed for battery-electric propulsion. The HSIL supports both large, vertically integrated companies and emerging innovators in advancing rapidly toward flight readiness, while also serving as a valuable integration and validation resource for component manufacturers.

“The HSIL delivers value to organizations of all sizes, from established eVTOL manufacturers and aircraft designers to teams relying on strong component partners to accelerate their programs,” explained Matthew Potvin, Director of Product Management. “By integrating aircraft powertrain elements into the HSIL, partners gain a faster pathway to optimize their designs and mission profiles, moving efficiently toward real-world testing ahead of flight demonstrations.”

The HSIL is more than a test facility, it’s a collaborative environment where VerdeGo’s engineering expertise supports each partner’s unique mission requirements. Developers work side-by-side with VerdeGo’s engineering team on ground and simulated flight tests. Partners also have the option to program their aircraft designs directly into VerdeGo’s simulator, allowing pilots to train and validate flight control software with real hybrid propulsion hardware-in-the-loop.

Pilots can experience the hybrid powerplant responding in real time to their control inputs during simulated missions, creating a uniquely authentic and data-rich test environment. Component manufacturers also benefit from access to the HSIL, where they can validate propulsion motors, batteries, and high-voltage control systems within VerdeGo’s hybrid framework accelerating compatibility and time to market.

Since 2021, VerdeGo has supported collaborative customer programs through earlier iterations of its integration labs, expanding capabilities as testing needs have evolved. “We’re proud of how the HSIL has come together and excited about the opportunities it creates for advancing hybrid-electric aviation,” said Dave Spitzer, Vice President of Product Development. “These assets allow VerdeGo not only to validate our products, but also to test full high-voltage architectures under real-world conditions. Our culture is rooted in rigorous testing, and the HSIL is a key enabler as our industry takes its next step forward.”

VerdeGo Aero is a leader in hybrid-electric propulsion technologies, providing high-performance powerplant solutions that enable next-generation aircraft to achieve greater range, payload, and mission flexibility. The company’s systems combine proven turbine efficiency with advanced electric technologies to deliver practical, certifiable solutions for AAM and defense applications.