World-leading hydrogen electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft developer welcomes respected industry leaders for the next phase of growth, certification and worldwide / global market launch
AMSL Aero , the developer of the world-leading hydrogen-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft Vertiia, has appointed Dr Adriano Di Pietro as Chief Executive Officer.
Dr Di Pietro will lead the Australian company into its next phase of growth and bring its revolutionary aircraft to certification and international market launch. Vertiia is one of the world’s most advanced hydrogen eVTOLs, the new generation of aircraft that take off and land like a helicopter but fly fast and smoothly like a fixed-wing aeroplane.
Dr Di Pietro joins AMSL Aero from the Aerospace Innovation Research Hub (AIR Hub) at Swinburne University where he served as Director and CEO (Interim) of the Australian Air Mobility Cooperative Research Centre (AAMCRC). He brings deep knowledge, strategic acumen, and scale-up and go-to-market experience to the role, with nearly 20 years of leadership and technical expertise spanning aerospace, automotive, defense and autonomous systems.
In November 2024, AMSL Aero joined an elite group of top-tier global companies to fly an eVTOL in untethered horizontal flight successfully. The historic test flights underscored Vertiia’s leadership as the first eVTOL in the world, designed from inception to utilize hydrogen for long-range, heavy-lift, and passenger operations.
Dr Di Pietro joins AMSL Aero as the company prepares to build its second full-scale prototype of Vertiia and undertake its first hydrogen-powered flight test program. Dr Di Pietro will lead AMSL Aero’s campaign for certification of Vertiia by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), scale up manufacturing capability, and drive global commercial expansion, fueled by strong forward orders.
AMSL Aero Co-Founder and Board Director Andrew Moore said: “I am delighted that Adriano has chosen to join AMSL Aero. His deep technical expertise and industry leadership make him uniquely suited to lead the team into our next growth phase as we move towards hydrogen flight testing.”
Dr Di Pietro said: “I am excited to join AMSL Aero. I believe in the company’s bold vision to revolutionize air mobility through accessible zero-emissions technology. AMSL has a world-class team that’s not only redefining the future of aviation but building a cleaner, faster, and more connected regional transportation system, something that’s vital to Australia’s economic resilience, accessibility, and future prosperity.”
AMSL Aero Chair Chris Smallhorn welcomed Dr Di Pietro, saying his appointment is well-timed to elevate AMSL Aero’s leading development and commercial position.
Mr. Smallhorn said: “After a highly competitive search, we are thrilled to welcome Adriano. His track record in scaling aerospace technology ventures will be instrumental in the next phase of development with our second full-scale prototype, maintaining our position as a global leader in zero-emission aviation. He will lead our growing team of more than 65 talented and passionate engineers and aviation experts as we bring Vertiia’s affordable, zero-emission, long-range, point-to-point aviation capabilities to Australia and the world.”
Dr Di Pietro commences his CEO role at AMSL Aero in the week beginning July 7, 2025.
Adriano Di Pietro Biography
Dr Adriano Di Pietro is a globally recognized aerospace executive and deep-tech innovator with nearly 20 years of international experience spanning aerospace, defense, and automotive systems. He has helped scale multiple high-tech ventures across Australia, the US, and Europe. He holds a PhD in advanced aerospace manufacturing technology and a degree in engineering.
Most recently, Dr Di Pietro served as CEO (Interim) of the Australian Air Mobility Cooperative Research Centre (AAM CRC), where he brought together Australia’s advanced air mobility industry as a key driver of Australia’s future aviation system.
Concurrently, as Director of the Aerospace Innovation Research (AIR) Hub at Swinburne University of Technology, he led an expert team supporting the growth of Australia’s uncrewed air systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility development and manufacturing industry with significant development in zero-emission hydrogen-powered flight.
Previously, Dr Di Pietro held key roles at XTEK (now HighCom Group) as Chief Technology Officer, where he led the commercialization of aerospace and defense technologies. He was also one of the first employees at Zoox, the Silicon Valley-based autonomous vehicle company acquired by Amazon, and held leadership roles at Quickstep Technologies, a leading aerospace composites manufacturer in Australia and Germany.
About AMSL Aero
AMSL Aero is an Australian zero-emissions aircraft developer founded in 2017. The company is headquartered in Bankstown, Sydney, Australia, with flight test facilities in regional New South Wales. AMSL Aero’s world-class team has international experience across all aspects of aerospace design, flight testing, manufacturing, certification, and aviation business operations. AMSL Aero is backed by private investors including IP Group Australia, Telstra Super, Host Plus and StB Capital Partners, and the Australian Government. Further information about AMSL Aero – www.amslaero.com
AMSL Aero Vertiia Fact Sheet
- Vertiia is a highly efficient hybrid long-range zero-emissions VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) aircraft due to its unique combination of aerodynamic efficiency and structural design
- Vertiia takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter, and flies fast and efficiently like a fixed-wing aeroplane. It is safer, quieter, and more efficient than a helicopter
- Vertiia has the potential to operate with zero carbon emissions by using green hydrogen
- The initial civil aircraft will be certified for piloted flights, with autonomy systems installed for future remote piloted applications
- Vertiia will have a cost to operate in the longer term comparable with short-range (domestic) airliners but has the advantage of taking passengers from door to door due to not requiring a runway
- Vertiia’s light air ambulance setup will seat a pilot, a paramedic and/or doctor and patient, or it can be configured to carry passengers (1 pilot + 4pax) or freight
- Vertiia will cruise at 300km/h and its range will be up to 1,000km on hydrogen power
- AMSL Aero holds international patents for Vertiia, protecting its core technological features, including its unique wing tilting mechanism, combined with its box wing design and flight control system
- Vertiia is an eight electric motor tilting wing aircraft that can operate from a helipad or similar size landing site
- Vertiia has the capability to connect regional hubs, and, due to the small number of seats, it can conduct on-demand (unscheduled) services to reduce excess capacity (empty seats)
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Story and Imag Credit: AMSL Aero Media


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