Joby Aviation has flown its turbine electric, autonomous VTOL demonstrator for the first time. The hybrid aircraft builds on Joby’s fully electric air taxi platform and integrates a turbine powertrain with its SuperPilot autonomy stack to improve range and payload.

The first flight occurred on 7 November at Joby’s Marina, California site. Ground and flight testing will continue ahead of government demonstrations in 2026.

The demonstrator was revealed three months ago, alongside a collaboration with L3Harris Technologies to support platform missionisation and defence operations such as contested logistics and low-altitude support. L3Harris will equip Joby’s hybrid aircraft with sensors, communication systems and autonomy features.

The U.S. government has requested over $9 billion in its FY26 budget for hybrid and autonomous platforms.

“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,” says Joby CEO and founder JoeBen Bevirt.

The hybrid aircraft is based on a platform with more than 50,000 flight test miles. In July, Joby used a Cessna 208 to log 7,000 miles of autonomous operations in a Department of War exercise in the Pacific.