Joby Aviation, best known for developing electric air taxis, said on Thursday it has signed an agreement with defense contractor L3Harris Technologies (LHX.N) to explore the development of a gas-turbine hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft capable of autonomous flight for U.S. defense applications.
The proposed aircraft will be based on Joby’s existing S4 platform, which the company has been developing as an all-electric model. Under a U.S. government contract last year, Joby demonstrated a hydrogen-electric hybrid version that flew 521 miles — more than double the range of its battery-electric prototype.
The partnership aims to advance the aircraft’s range and mission capabilities for potential Department of Defense (DoD) contracts. Joby said flight testing will start this fall, with operational demonstrations expected in 2026. The company has worked with the DoD for nearly a decade during the S4’s development.
“One was that range was especially important,” Joby executive chairman Paul Sciarra told TechCrunch, adding that the company needed to show “how its aircraft could be combined with the right sensors, autonomy, communications and payload to provide a clear use case for the DoD.” He said partnering with L3Harris provided access to “a deep understanding of those use cases and a ton of proven technology.”
L3Harris said the technology will support long-range, crewed-uncrewed teaming for missions such as contested logistics, electronic warfare and counter unmanned aircraft systems. “This new vertical lift technology will enable long-range, crewed-uncrewed teaming for a range of missions,” said Jon Rambeau, president of Integrated Mission Systems at L3Harris.
Joby continues to pursue U.S. Federal Aviation Administration certification for its all-electric S4, intended for short-range passenger transport in urban environments, while expanding into defense-focused applications.