Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi developer Joby Aviation and defense titan L3Harris are joining forces on a new, gas turbine hybrid, optionally piloted VTOL model.
According to Jon Rambeau, president of integrated mission systems for L3Harris, the autonomous variant—a modified S4 air taxi for which Joby said it is “actively developing” a hybrid powertrain—could enable “long-range, crewed-uncrewed teaming” for a range of low-altitude defense missions. Flight testing is planned for as early as this fall, with operational demonstrations on tap for 2026.
