dSPACE launches Python SDK for unified aerospace test automation

dSPACE introduces unified testing framework for aerospace development

Aerospace testing teams now have a new option for managing the complexity of software-in-the-loop (SIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation workflows. dSPACE has released the Test Automation SDK, an open-source Python toolkit designed to provide a single interface across heterogeneous test platforms.

The SDK addresses a persistent challenge in aerospace development: engineers typically must master multiple APIs when working with different simulation and real-time testing tools. The Test Automation SDK creates an abstraction layer that allows teams to write test scripts once in Python and execute them across both SIL environments (using dSPACE's VEOS platform) and HIL setups (using SCALEXIO) by changing only configuration parameters.

According to details first reported by Aerospace Testing International, this approach enables test cases developed during early virtual validation to transfer directly to system integration testing without requiring rewrites or manual translation between toolsets.

Why it matters

As aerospace systems become more software-defined, testing complexity grows exponentially. A unified testing interface reduces the specialized knowledge engineers need to maintain, accelerates the transition from simulation to hardware validation, and provides a foundation for AI-assisted test generation—capabilities that directly impact development speed and certification timelines.

AI integration and modern development workflows

The SDK's Python foundation enables integration with AI coding agents that can generate, extend, and maintain test scripts. By standardizing on Python and abstracting platform-specific interfaces, the toolkit allows large language models and other AI tools to work directly with test automation code.

Engineers can use established Python testing frameworks including pytest and Robot Framework, and the SDK integrates with standard development tools like VS Code and Git. This alignment with continuous integration and continuous testing (CI/CT) practices allows teams to execute tests more frequently throughout development cycles.

Traceability across development phases

The ability to reuse identical test scripts from SIL through HIL testing provides consistency in validation results. When test cases remain unchanged across development phases, teams can compare results directly and maintain traceability—requirements that become critical during certification processes where demonstrating test consistency matters.

The SDK connects test definitions to underlying simulation platforms through its abstraction layer, ensuring that the same logical test executes identically whether running in a virtual environment or against physical hardware.

Open-source model for long-lifecycle programs

By releasing the Test Automation SDK as open source, dSPACE aims to create a collaborative ecosystem where aerospace programs can adapt the toolkit to specific requirements while benefiting from community contributions. For programs with multi-decade lifecycles that must accommodate evolving standards, this openness provides flexibility that proprietary solutions typically cannot match.

The announcement was first reported by Aerospace Testing International in September 2026.