Joby Aviation says it has completed the first fully autonomous flight across the United States, using an aircraft equipped with its own autonomous flight system. The journey began at Buchanan Field Airport in California and ended at Dare County Regional Airport in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, covering 3,199 miles. The company described the trip as the first-ever autonomous flight of its kind across the country.
The aircraft was a converted Cessna Caravan fitted with Joby's autonomy technology. According to the company, the plane handled taxiing, takeoff, cruising and landing without any control inputs from an onboard safety pilot. A human monitor remained on the aircraft during the flight, and Joby supervised the aircraft remotely from its headquarters in California and from Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina.
After reaching North Carolina, the autonomous aircraft is scheduled to travel back westward, with stops planned in Raleigh, North Carolina, Salt Lake City and Portland, Oregon. Joby is positioning the demonstration as a step toward uses beyond its existing business. The startup is best known for piloted, fully electric air taxis, which it began demonstrating in New York City in April and plans to launch to the public later this year.
The company said its autonomous flight system can be integrated into aircraft that are already in service. Joby pointed to commercial freight, emergency response and defense logistics as potential applications for the technology. Those areas would extend the company's reach beyond electric air taxi rides in major cities, where it has focused its public efforts so far.
The announcement comes as developers of autonomous aviation and electric aircraft compete to prove their systems can operate safely over long distances. Joby's cross-country flight combined an existing airframe with its own autonomy software, rather than relying on a purpose-built vehicle. The company has not said when the technology might be offered commercially for the applications it described.
For a US technology audience, the flight highlights a growing intersection of autonomy, aviation and logistics. Joby's plans for piloted air taxis remain centered on urban markets, while the autonomous system it demonstrated is aimed at cargo, emergency and defense missions. The company said the return trip west will include stops in Raleigh, Salt Lake City and Portland.
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