Air taxi maker Joby Aviation has partnered with US defence contractor L3Harris Technologies, to develop a new vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft for possible use by the military. The companies are focusing on a gas turbine hybrid VTOL design for low-altitude missions.

Joby Aviation (NYSE:JOBY) is grinding higher into Friday’s open as the company announced a collaboration with defense contractor L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) for defense applications of Joby’s (NYSE:JOBY) vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft.

Joby's years of R&D with the DoD may be paying off. The company has signed an agreement with defense contractor L3Harris to develop a gas-turbine hybrid VTOL that can fly autonomously — for defense applications.