Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY) and L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) have teamed up to explore the opportunities for a hybrid VTOL aircraft using gas turbines for low-altitude missions. Such hybrid eVTOL aircraft could potentially be manufactured for defense contracts, and provide the capabilities of switching between unmanned autonomous flight and piloted flights.
“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. Our country depends on companies like ours moving at pace, and we have the team, the technology and the platform to do just that.” – JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO, Joby Aviation
“The next-generation of vertical lift technology enables long-range, crewed-uncrewed teaming for a range of missions.”…“We share a vision with Joby to deliver urgently-required innovation by missionizing VTOL aircraft for defense needs.” – Jon Rambeau, President, Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris
Pivoting towards hybrid eVTOLs, when Joby Aviation is known mostly for its all-electric S4 eVTOL is actually not surprising when you consider the direction the eVTOL industry is heading. As eVTOL buzz has previously reported, OEMs such as Horizon Aircraft (NASDAQ: HOVR) and XTI Aerospace have been very outspoken about the positive characteristics of hybrid-electric propulsion systems. The higher power, reliability, fuel availability and time-proven designs, are real world factors that militaries all over the world cannot ignore.
Now, we explain how L3Harris will enter the picture.
What L3Harris brings to the table:
L3Harris brings a lot to the table in terms of expertise in autonomous aircraft and its Smart Swarm technology. With military aircraft and other “assets” heading towards autonomous systems, Joby couldn’t have found a better partner than L3Harris. Not only does L3Harris have decades of experience in the defense industry, with many long-standing and deep connections with key-decision makers, but L3Harris also has developed FVR Unmanned Aerial systems, and AMORPHOUS™ open-architecture platform for key capabilities including Smart Swarms.
L3HARRIS
- $21B+ Company with many capabilities:
- Autonomous Systems
- Command and Control
- Electronic Warfare
- ISR and SIGINT
- Missile Warning and Defense
- Resilient Communications and Networks
- Works on autonomous FVR (Fixed-Wing, VTOL, Rotary) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)
- FVR-90 Airframe
- Will work with Joby on sensors, aircraft autonomy, and other tech related to VTOLs
- building Smart Swarm technology through its AMORPHOUS™ open-architecture platform
AMORPHOUS™ autonomous system (from L3Harris)
In a March 2025 article titled: “The next era of autonomous defense” by Jon Rambeau, President of Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris Technologies, he explains that despite the great success the industry has made with autonomous “assets” such as UAVs, and other vehicles, there was a great need to be able to control thousands of these autonomous “assets” simultaneously as part of a greater mission capability. With L3Harris being an industry “Trusted Disruptor” in the defense industry with decades of experience in autonomy, allowed them to fill this need of simultaneous asset control and coordination to create the Smart Swarm technology necessary to achieve this goal.
“Autonomous systems have matured across air, sea and subsurface domains, but the challenge remains: how do we operate not just a handful, but thousands of autonomous assets simultaneously and effectively?”
“To meet this challenge, we developed AMORPHOUS™ , an open-architecture system designed to scale and manage thousands of autonomous assets at once. With AMORPHOUS, we are pushing the boundaries of autonomous control and tackling today’s most pressing challenges in large-scale autonomy.” – Jon Rambeau, President of Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris Technologies in a March 2025 article titled: “The next era of autonomous defense”
AMORPHOUS™
- Open-architecture system purposely built to scale and manage thousands of autonomous air, ground and naval vehicles simultaneously
- Offers:
- Open Architecture
- flexibility
- interoperability
- Scalability (up to thousands of assets)
- Multi-domain
- Smart Swarm technology
- Single User operation
- Sensor processing & fusion
- Transferable control enables true distributed C2
- Counter-Unmanned Air Systems capabilities
- Open Architecture
L3Harris’ Partner in the Defense Industry:
Defense Innovation Unit
- The only DoD agency solely dedicated to deploying and growing commercial technology at commercial rates throughout the U.S. military
- Works with L3Harris to implement AMORPHOUS™ throughout the military
Joby’s accomplishments and progress so far:
Joby has been developing its own autonomous programs, especially after acquiring 2 key companies: Austrian-based INRAS, and the Californian-based autonomy division of Xwing.
Joby Aviation
- Headquartered in Santa Cruz, California
- major eVTOL manufacturer
- Manufacturer of S4 eVTOL aircraft
- Will develop hybrid-electric version, and is currently testing a hydrogen-electric version
- First transition of a full-scale, prototype aircraft on 2017.
- First piloted transition flight on April 22, 2025
- Acquired INFRAS in 2021 and the autonomy division of Xwing in 2024
- Received a total of $894 million in investment from Toyota
- Has obtained numerous defense contracts with the Pentagon and collaborates on testing of its eVTOL aircraft
INRAS
- Based in Linz, Austria
- Acquired by Joby on December 21, 2021
- Co-founded by Andreas Haderer and Andreas Stelzer
- Expertise in radiofrequency (RF) systems design, advanced radar sensors, processing boards, and real-time signal processing
- Leaders in airborne sensing and autonomy
“We have been continually impressed with Inras since we began working with them to develop custom radar systems for our aircraft.”…..“They are leaders in solving the challenges associated with airborne sensing and autonomy and we are excited to welcome them to Joby as we move toward integrating more advanced detection capabilities in the future.” – JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby.
XWING (autonomy division)
- Founded in 2016
- Based in Concord, California
- Acquired by Joby in 2024
- Worked on autonomous aircraft since 2020
- First company to obtain large unmanned aerial system (UAS) certification from the FAA (April 2023)
- First company from AFWERX’s Autonomy Prime program to obtain Air Force Military Flight Release in 2024 as a Contractor-Owned, Contractor-Operated Public Aircraft Operation (PAO) in unrestricted airspace
- Created Superpilot software for autonomous flights
- over 300 fully autonomous flights and 500 auto-landings
- participlated in:
- Agile Flag 24-1
- 2,800 miles of fully autonomous flight
- Agile Flag 24-3 (as part of Joby)
- 3,900 miles of fully autonomous flight
- Agile Flag 24-1
After acquiring the autonomy division of Xwing in June 2024, Joby was able to capitalize on the expertise of this leading autonomous aerospace company and harness their tech, which includes Xwing’s Superpilot software for the Joby S4’s autonomous flight capabilities.
“Xwing’s goal of connecting communities with clean and affordable autonomous flight aligns closely with Joby’s long-term vision. I am incredibly proud of each member of the Xwing team and everything this talented group has achieved to date. For the past 7 years, our team has broken barriers to advance aviation autonomy. Now, as we join forces with the leading electric air-taxi developer, I can’t imagine a better home for the Xwing team to realize our shared vision.” – Maxime Gariel, co-founder, President and Chief Technical Officer, Xwing
“The aircraft we are certifying will have a fully-qualified pilot on board, but we recognize that a future generation of autonomous aircraft will play an important part in unlocking our vision of making clean and affordable aerial mobility as accessible as possible…..The exceptionally talented Xwing team has not only made unparalleled progress on the development and certification of vision systems, sensor fusion and decision-making autonomous technologies, but they’ve also successfully demonstrated the real-life application of their technology, flying hundreds of fully autonomous flights in the national airspace. We’re honored to bring them onboard at Joby as we continue on our mission of building a next generation aviation company.” – JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO
Xwing’s Superpilot
Joby and Xwing’s partners within US Department of Defense:
412th Test Wing
- Air Force Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California
- Operations group of 3,000 personnel
- Maintenance group of 2,000 personnel
- Collaborating on testing with Joby on the S4 eVTOL
Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
- Main scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force.
- 12,500 employees across nine technology areas
- Headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio (home of the Wright brothers)
- Technology directorates:
- 711th Human Performance Wing
- 711th HPW/USAF School of Aerospace Medicine
- 711th HPW/Human Effectiveness
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
- AFWERX
- Directed Energy
- Information
- Integrated Capabilities
- Materials & Manufacturing
- Munitions
- Sensors
- Space Vehicles
AFWERX
- Program the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
- Innovation arm of the Dept of Air Force
- Connects innovators across government, industry and academia
- 1,8881 companies transitioned to Phase III ($7.5 B )
- 2,665 new companies included in small business portfolio of Department of Air Force (DAF)
- Headquarters in Dayton, Ohio
- 3 Hubs
- Austin, Texas
- Washington, DC
- Los Angeles, California
Agility Prime (AFWERX)
- founded in 2019
- Vertical lift and landing (VTOL) development program run by the Department of the Air Force in collaboration with the Army
- Provided small business partners more than 60 contracts totaling more than $390 million in the eVTOL and hybrid VTOL market
- 14 billion injected into private-sector commercial investment in the AAM industry
- Joby Aviation performs testing with the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base, California
- Facilitated XWING obtaining Air Force Military Flight Release in 2024 (the first in AFWERX’s Autonomy Prime program)
- Supports Joby’s hydrogen-powered aircraft testing
AFWERX’s Agility Prime also works with Joby on its hydrogen-powered eVTOL as well as with its all-electric S4 eVTOL aircraft.
“Agility Prime has been very supportive of hydrogen-powered aircraft development and testing as it aligns with the program’s goals to advance transformative vertical lift technologies and broader Department of Defense operational energy goals of energy substitution and diversification, and energy demand reduction.” – Jacob Wilson, (Acting) Branch Chief, AFWERX Agility Prime
Autonomy Prime (AFWERX)
- Focuses on:
- Autonomy Proving Grounds
- Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) test beds
- Multi-program high-performance computing and data pipeline
- Robotics Software Architecture
- Sensing/Positioning
- Multi-Agent Teaming
- Inter-Robotics Comms Architecture
- Strategic Operations
- Multi-Sensing Swarming UAS
- Rapid autonomy kits
- Long-Range Kill Web (LRKW)
- Attritable Intelligence
- Enabling Technologies
- Computer Vision, Collaborative Autonomy, Multi-Sensor Fusion, Low Cost Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS)
- Mission capabilities for early risk reduction
- Alternative Positioning
- Navigation & Timing (Alt-PNT)
- Autonomy Proving Grounds
“Autonomous systems are increasingly prolific in the private sector, and bring potentially game changing advantages to the Air Force as well.”…. “We created Autonomy Prime to keep up with this shift, and to stay engaged as a partner while this technology evolves, so that we can adapt and evolve along with the private sector, maintaining our competitive advantage.” – Col. Elliott Leigh, AFWERX director and chief commercialization officer for the Department of the Air Force
AGILE FLAG 24-3
(photo courtesy of Joby)
Joby was asked by AFWERX Autonomy Prime to demonstrate autonomous flight during AGILE FLAG 24-3 and demonstrate to Air Force leaders how autonomous aviation can support the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept. A proactive and reactive operational system of movement, ACE is used to generate combat power and improve survivability within threat timelines. Joby used this occasion to showcase an autonomous Cessna 208B Grand Caravan taking off and landing from multiple air bases and public airports across California and Nevada which flights totaled 3,900 miles. Airports such as Mojave Air and Space Port, and air bases like Edwards Air Force Base, California were utilized in this exercise. These autonomous technologies were developed by Xwing’s autonomy team, which was bought out by Joby in June 2024 and had already flown over 200 flights by the time of that acquisition.
In the previous exercise “Agile Flag 24-1“, Xwing accomplished 2,800 miles of fully autonomous flight, proving its skill in operating autonomous aircraft during difficult conditions such as: congested airspace, sloped runways, night operations, and landing at airports with non-existent infrastructure.
In both Agile Flag 24-1 and 24-3, Xwing and later Joby with its recently acquired Xwing autonomy team, the autonomous aircraft transported essential supplies at these numerous Air Force assets.
“We were pleased to continue demonstrating the capabilities of our autonomy technology during Agile Flag 24-3, where we completed dozens of fully autonomous aerial missions and showcased an ability to perform rapid resupply. We look forward to continuing to work with the U.S. Air Force as we further develop the suite of technologies that could enable greater automation or full autonomy, first on the Caravan and then on numerous other aircraft types.” – Maxime Gariel, Autonomy Lead at Joby
Joby also demonstrated its capability to oversee the aircraft from a distance using a laptop and a satellite communications terminal, both of which can be conveniently carried in a single backpack.
while Joby’s autonomous Cessna 208B Grand Caravan takes off to Edwards Air Force Base, California during AGILE FLAG 24-3 on Aug. 9, 2024.
(U.S. Air Force photo by Matthew Clouse)
“The return on investment for the U.S. Air Force with this technology is significant. By using it to handle smaller cargo, we can preserve cargo aircraft for more critical tasks like transporting large parts or engines.” …“This not only enhances the overall capability of the cargo fleet but also ensures they are used where they are most needed.” – said Col. Max Bremer, Air Mobility Command Special Access Program management officer.
Joby’s purchase of Xwing’s autonomy division, along with its ongoing in-house advancement of autonomy technology, illustrates the company’s dedication to creating next-generation technologies that could enhance safety and broaden access to commercial aviation. Furthermore, Joby anticipates that this technology will significantly contribute to the timely fulfillment of current contract obligations with the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as increase opportunities for future contracts.
Photos A & B: Joby’s Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (U.S. Air Force photo by Matthew Clouse)
Photo C: Xwing’s ground control station during AGILE FLAG 24-1
(U.S. Air Force photo by Matthew Clouse)
Photo D: Joby’s ground control station during AGILE FLAG 24-3
(U.S. Air Force photo by Matthew Clouse)
With both INRAS and the autonomous division of Xwing already in its portfolio, Joby can leverage its own expertise with that of L3Harris to create a superior hybrid-electric eVTOL package to the US military and its allies throughout the world, and use the R&D and revenue to fund and improve its private and commercial civilian offerings.
✈️ Stay tuned to eVTOL buzz for test flight updates, tech deep dives, and exclusive interviews as this story evolves.
More Info:
Joby Press Release – Joby Collaborates With L3Harris to Pursue Defense Applications for Autonomous Hybrid VTOL Aircraft: click here
L3Harris Press Release – Joby Collaborates with L3Harris to Pursue Defense Applications for Autonomous VTOL Aircraft: click here
AMORPHOUS™ : click here
L3Harris Air Autonomous systems: click here
IMS President Jon Rambeau: The Next Era of Autonomous Defense: click here
L3Harris Selected to Develop Autonomous Swarms Prototype: click here
L3Harris and Shield Capital Form Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Defense, Commercial Technology Solutions: click here
Press Release – Joby Acquires Xwing Autonomy Division, Looks Ahead to Autonomous Flight: click here
Air Force Awards Xwing Military Approval to Fly Autonomous Air Force Cargo Missions Across California: click here
AFWERX official website: click here
AFWERX Agility Prime – A New Era of Aerospace: click here
Joby demonstrates potential for emissions-free regional journeys with landmark 523-mile hydrogen-electric flight: click here
AFWERX Autonomy Prime: click here
Autonomous aviation transforms logistics during AGILE FLAG 24-3 exercise: click here
Joby Demonstrates Autonomous Flight in United States Air Force ‘Agile Flag’ Exercise: click here
Joby Expands Partnership with US Department of Defense: click here
AFWERX Autonomy Prime, Xwing partner for autonomous flight demonstration: click here
Joby Completes Acquisition of Radar Developer Inras GmbH: click here
Toyota To Invest $500 Million in Joby Aviation: click here
