Joby Aviation is widely known for developing commercial electric air taxis, but the company has also been working closely with the U.S. Department of Defense for years. This partnership may now be yielding results. Recently, Joby announced an agreement with defense contractor L3Harris Technologies to explore opportunities for developing a new class of aircraft—a gas-turbine hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicle capable of autonomous flight—specifically for defense applications.
The new hybrid VTOL will be based on Joby’s existing S4 aircraft platform. While the company has primarily focused on an all-electric powertrain for the S4, it successfully demonstrated a hydrogen-electric hybrid version last year under a government contract. This hybrid prototype flew an impressive 521 miles, more than double the range of its battery-electric counterpart.
Though the agreement with L3Harris is still in the exploratory phase, Joby hopes upcoming flight tests and operational demonstrations will lead to a military contract with the DoD. Flight testing is set to begin this fall, with operational demonstrations expected in 2026.
For years, Joby has been developing its all-electric VTOL aircraft while pursuing Type 1 certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. These aircraft are designed for short-distance urban passenger transport. At the same time, Joby has collaborated with the DoD for nearly a decade, refining its technology to meet military needs.
Paul Sciarra, Joby’s executive chairman, explained that the company identified key requirements to secure DoD approval. Range was a critical factor, prompting the shift toward hybrid solutions. Additionally, Joby needed to demonstrate the “missionization” of its platform—integrating sensors, autonomy, communications, and payloads to prove its military utility.
Rather than developing these capabilities in-house, Joby sought a partner with deep expertise in defense applications. That’s where L3Harris comes in. Jon Rambeau, president of Integrated Mission Systems at L3Harris, stated that the new VTOL technology will support long-range, crewed-uncrewed teaming for various missions. Potential uses include low-altitude support operations, contested logistics, electronic warfare, and counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS).