Joby Aviation and L3Harris to Test Autonomous Hybrid Aircraft

Joby Aviation's Dual Path: Commercial and Defense Applications

While widely recognized for its work on commercial electric air taxis, Joby Aviation has simultaneously cultivated a significant relationship with the U.S. Department of Defense. This long-term collaboration is now poised to yield substantial results.

New Agreement with L3Harris Technologies

Joby announced on Thursday a new agreement with defense contractor L3Harris Technologies. The focus will be on exploring the development of a novel aircraft category – a gas-turbine hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft capable of autonomous flight, specifically tailored for defense purposes.

This new VTOL design will leverage Joby’s existing S4 aircraft platform as its foundation. Although the company’s primary focus has been on an all-electric powertrain for the S4, a hydrogen-electric hybrid version was successfully demonstrated last year under a government contract, achieving a range of 521 miles.

Path to a Military Contract

The agreement with L3Harris is currently exploratory in nature. However, the expectation is that forthcoming flight tests and operational demonstrations will pave the way for a formal military contract with the DoD. Flight testing is scheduled to commence this fall, with operational demonstrations anticipated in 2026.

Years of Development with the DoD

Joby has been actively engaged in development work with the DoD for nearly a decade. This ongoing relationship has provided valuable insights into the requirements for securing a DoD contract, as explained by Joby executive chairman Paul Sciarra to TechCrunch.

“A key factor identified was the critical importance of range,” Sciarra stated. “This realization prompted a necessary shift in our development strategy.”

Demonstrating Platform Versatility

Sciarra further emphasized the need to showcase the “missionization” of their platform. This involves integrating the aircraft with appropriate sensors, autonomous capabilities, communication systems, and payloads to establish a compelling use case for the DoD.

“We faced a choice: either independently develop these essential components, or collaborate with a highly capable partner possessing extensive expertise and proven technology,” he explained.

L3Harris as a Strategic Partner

This is where L3Harris enters the picture.

Jon Rambeau, president of Integrated Mission Systems at L3Harris, highlighted that the new vertical lift technology will facilitate long-range, crewed-uncrewed teaming for diverse missions. The gas-turbine hybrid VTOL aircraft could be deployed for low-altitude support roles, including contested logistics, electronic warfare, and counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS), according to Sciarra.

Key applications could include: