Historic First Flight for Joby Aviation’s Hybrid VTOL Aircraft
Joby Aviation has successfully completed the first flight of its turbine-electric, autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) demonstrator aircraft at its Marina, California facility on November 7, 2024. The groundbreaking aircraft, developed in partnership with defense contractor L3Harris Technologies, integrates a hybrid turbine powertrain with Joby’s SuperPilot autonomous flight system.
The hybrid demonstrator builds on Joby’s fully-electric air taxi platform but adds extended range and payload capabilities targeting both commercial air taxi services and defense applications. “It’s imperative that we find ways to deliver new technology into the hands of American troops more quickly and cost-efficiently than we have in the past,” said JoeBen Bevirt, Joby’s founder and CEO.
The aircraft’s vertical takeoff capability allows operation from locations without conventional runway infrastructure, while the autonomous SuperPilot system enables both crewed and fully autonomous operations. The companies plan to conduct operational demonstrations with government customers in 2026.
Source: Joby Aviation Press Release