Autonomous Hybrid Aircraft Aims for Flight Tests Beginning in Fall 2025

Joby Aviation and L3Harris Technologies recently announced a new collaboration to develop a hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft that targets military applications. The aircraft will be powered by a gas turbine-electric hybrid system and designed for low-altitude missions, with the flexibility to operate either with a pilot on board or fully autonomously.

“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,” said Joby Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt. “Our country depends on companies like ours moving at pace, and we have the team, the technology and the platform to do just that.”

Flight testing of the new platform is expected to begin in fall 2025, with operational demonstrations planned for 2026 during government-led exercises. The aircraft will build on Joby’s existing S4 platform and leverage both companies’ strengths: Joby’s experience in VTOL design and manufacturing, and L3Harris’s expertise in integrating mission systems such as sensors, communication systems, and autonomy tools.

The project is being pitched as a way to accelerate next-generation defense capabilities, with a particular emphasis on uncrewed operations and long-range support roles. According to L3Harris, the aircraft will offer crewed-uncrewed teaming options, helping to ease the military’s integration of unmanned systems with its existing fleet.

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

While few technical details have been made public so far, the companies are clearly aiming to deliver a flexible, missionized aircraft that can fit into a range of tactical scenarios. Now that government support and scheduled tests are on the horizon, the program will enter a critical development phase.

FMI: www.jobyaviation.com