Fri, Aug 08, 2025
$9.7M Contract To Mature the VH-4T And Test First Prototype
VerdeGo Aero announced it received a U.S. Air Force Small Business Innovation Research Phase III contract for $9.7 million to bring its VH-4T hybrid-electric powerplant to a production configuration and to build and test the first prototype VH-4T-415.
The awards was issued under the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Mobility Directorate in cooperation with AFWERX, the innovation branch of the Department of the Air Force and supported by the Air Force Research Laboratory. AFWERX leverages cutting-edge ingenuity and technology from startups and small businesses to address the Department’s most pressing requirements to counter emerging adversarial technologies.
The Phase III work will take 22 months and extends the testing work VerdeGo performed to fulfill its AFWERX Phase II award using the VH-4T-RD Research & Development powerplant.
David Eichstedt, Vice President of Product Management for VerdeGo said, “VerdeGo is pleased to support AFWERX as they continue to advance dual-use technologies to benefit both the Department of the Air Force and the U.S. aerospace industry, so that the U.S. can maintain leadership in the emerging field of electrified aerospace. VerdeGo has had a strong positive response to the VH-4T for both commercial and military applications and we are excited to deliver this important capability to our customers.”
The VH-4T is based on the Pratt & Whitney PW207 helicopter engine and, using liquid fuel rather than batteries as the primary energy source, can deliver approximately 400 kW of high-voltage DC current to power the electric motors in eVTOL air taxis and drones. This combination enables electric aircraft to accomplish 5-10 times more range and endurance than batteries alone can provide.
Eric Bartsch, VerdeGo CEO, “This award is a major milestone for VerdeGo and for the VH-4T powerplant. The project accelerates our path to delivering a certifiable hybrid-electric propulsion system that supports both government and commercial applications. The VH-4T is already in demand, and this award enables us to advance its capabilities for our current customers and expand its impact across the aviation industry.”
More News
Local Airport Advisory (LAA) A service available only in Alaska and provided by facilities that are located on the landing airport, have a discrete ground-to-air communication freq>[...]
“Combining a love of flying and selfless devotion to humankind, pilots and other volunteers involved in Public Benefit Flying make a profound and significant impact on commun>[...]
A Family Member Reported That The Pilot Departed His Private Airstrip About 1610 On July 19, 2025, about 2050 central daylight time, a Kolb Firestar airplane, N55161, was destroyed>[...]
From 2016 (YouTube Edition): Rotax Supports Their Engines With Training, Information, And Rapid Parts Service… Anyone who is even slightly familiar with sport aviation and h>[...]
Also: Crop Duster Shooting, SIU Student Legacy, French Air Taxes, Delta Pilot Busted The final numbers are in, and EAA AirVenture 2025 has once again outdone itself. According to t>[...]
ANN's Daily Aero-Term (08.06.25): Local Airport Advisory (LAA)
See All