Joby Aviation’s hybrid aircraft.
Courtesy: Joby Aviation
Joby Aviation completed the first test flight of its hybrid defense aircraft, three months after the company teamed up with government contractor L3Harris on the project.
The successful launch occurred on Nov. 7, at Joby’s facility in Marina, California, the company said on Thursday. Chairman Paul Sciarra told CNBC that the flight showcases Joby’s ability to quicky move from “concept to demonstration” to meet growing military needs.
Joby and L3Harris first said they were collaborating on a military craft with autonomous or piloted capabilities in August.
The U.S. government is investing aggressively under the Trump Administration on new autonomous, artificial intelligence and defense technology to improve the military’s capabilities. The president has also outlined plans for a $175 billion “Golden Dome” missile defense system.
“The defense landscape is really changing,” Sciarra said, adding that it’s playing out in conflicts like the war between Russia and Ukraine, “where commercial technologies are being rapidly deployed.”
Joby, which is widely known for its electric vertical takeoff and landing aircrafts, or eVTOLs, is currently racing to get certified by Federal Aviation Administration to start flying commercially. The company’s stock price has doubled this year.
Joby is betting big on Saudi Arabia as a major testing ground for its technology, signing an agreement this week to bring its air taxis to the Middle Eastern country. The company is also working with the United Arab Emirates.
The market has gotten a boost from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in June to create an eVTOL pilot program.
Archer Aviation, which was named the official air taxi provider for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, has seen its stock surge 86% over the last year and Amazon-backed Beta Technologies debuted on the New York Stock Exchange earlier this month.
Sciarra said the aircrafts developed with L3Harris are currently geared toward defense companies, but commercial customers could benefit from the technology as Joby builds and tests it.
“We think there is great opportunity for a hybrid version of this aircraft in the commercial context that can compete with single aisle regional transport today,” he said.
Joby plans to let government agencies and departments start testing the vehicles next year.
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