Dive Brief:
- Electric air taxi maker Joby Aviation and defense contractor L3Harris Technologies are collaborating to develop a hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft for defense operations.
- The gas-powered VTOL plane is designed to fly low-altitude missions with the option to be piloted by a crew or operated autonomously, according to the press release.
- Joby is also developing a gas-powered hybrid powertrain for its S4 aircraft platform. The news comes as the company ramps up aircraft production at its facilities in California and Ohio.
Dive Insight:
The collaboration will combine Joby’s existing commercial aircraft development program and manufacturing capabilities with L3Harris’ mission-specific surveillance and weapon platforms, including sensors, effectors and communication, the companies said. Flight testing is set to begin in the fall and the companies plan to perform demonstrations during government exercises in 2026.
“The next-generation of vertical lift technology enables long-range, crewed-uncrewed teaming for a range of missions,” Jon Rambeau, president of L3Harris’ integrated mission systems segment, said in a statement. “We share a vision with Joby to deliver urgently-required innovation by missionizing VTOL aircraft for defense needs.”
Joby displayed the “aircraft-level” autonomy to the U.S. military last year shortly after it acquired autonomous aviation software developer Xwing in June 2024. The autonomous logistics operations demonstration involved a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, which flew more than 3,900 miles between military bases and airports across California and Nevada to deliver cargo, including aircraft parts and supplies.
Additionally, Joby showed that its platform can be modified to deliver longer ranges. Last July, the company showcased a hydrogen-electric air taxi that flew over 500 miles, generating water as the only by-product.
Joby has been working with the U.S. Department of Defense since 2016 through its Defense Innovation Unit, the agency’s research and development organization. The company worked with the DIU to advance Joby’s aircraft for commercial and military use.
In October 2020, the U.S. Air Force awarded Joby a contract through its R&D wing, AFWERX Agility Prime, which focuses on accelerating the commercial market for advanced air mobility as well as creating a domestic supply chain. The agreement supported Joby’s commercial business goals while also exploring various future uses for the government, according to the military branch’s press release.
The Air Force has since extended Joby’s contract three times. The latest extension was in 2023 for nine aircraft valued at $131 million. Joby delivered the second plane last year.
“We have 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,” JoeBen Bevirt, Joby Aviation CEO, said in a statement.
Other electric VTOL makers are partnering up with defense contractors and the U.S. military. Last August, Archer Aviation delivered its first Midnight aircraft to the Air Force under its AFWERX Agility Prime contract valued at up to $142 million.
Then in December 2024, the plane manufacturer announced a partnership with defense startup Anduril Industries to develop a cost-effective hybrid VTOL aircraft in pursuit of an unnamed DOD program.
