Joby, L3Harris pursuing defense applications for autonomous hybrid VTOL aircraft

Joby Aviation, Inc. and L3Harris Technologies are exploring opportunities to develop a new aircraft class for defense applications. The gas turbine hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is designed for low-altitude missions and offers the versatility of being optionally piloted, enabling both crewed and fully autonomous operations.

The collaboration leverages Joby’s existing commercial aircraft development program and leading manufacturing capabilities, combined with L3Harris’ proven expertise on platform missionization including sensors, effectors, communication and collaborative autonomy. Flight testing is expected to start this fall with the companies planning to perform operational demonstrations during government exercises in 2026.

“The next-generation of vertical lift technology enables long-range, crewed-uncrewed teaming for a range of missions,” says Jon Rambeau, President, Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris. “We share a vision with Joby to deliver urgently-required innovation by missionizing VTOL aircraft for defense needs.”

“We've worked closely with the Department of Defense over the past decade to give them a front row seat to the development of our dual-purpose technologies, and we’re now ready to demonstrate and deploy it,” says JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO, Joby Aviation. “Our country depends on companies like ours moving at pace, and we have the team, the technology and the platform to do just that.”

Joby is actively developing a gas turbine hybrid powertrain for its current S4 aircraft platform and has demonstrated aircraft-level autonomy following its acquisition of the autonomy division of Xwing in June 2024. It has previously demonstrated under government contract that its platform can be hybridized to deliver longer-ranges, showcasing an industry-first 561 mile hydrogen-electric hybrid flight in June 2024.