Joby Completes Historic Fully Autonomous Cross-Country Flight Across the United States

Joby Aviation has completed what the company says is the first autonomous flight across the United States, flying 3,199 miles with no control inputs from the onboard safety pilot. The Joby autonomous flight used a converted Cessna Caravan equipped with the company’s autonomy technology and concluded its eastbound journey in North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

The aircraft autonomously handled taxiing, takeoffs, route navigation and landings while operating under remote supervision from Joby’s Autonomy Headquarters in California and Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina.

Joby Autonomous Flight Covers 3,199 Miles Across the U.S.

The aircraft traveled from Concord, California, to North Carolina during the eastbound leg of Joby’s 2026 Electric Skies tour.

According to Joby, the aircraft completed the entire 3,199-mile route without control inputs from its onboard safety pilot.

The system autonomously managed:

• Taxiing
• Takeoff
• En-route navigation
• Route changes
• Landing

Remote supervision was conducted from locations as far as 2,323 miles away.

Converted Cessna Caravan Demonstrates Autonomous Logistics Capability

The aircraft used for the flight was a converted Cessna Caravan, identified by Joby as the J208.

Joby said integrating its autonomy system onto an already-certified aircraft provides a potential pathway toward scalable autonomous air logistics.

The cross-country flight was used to demonstrate potential applications including:

• Commercial freight
• Medical transport
• Disaster response
• Defense logistics
• Remote community access

The aircraft also operated through a range of airspace and weather conditions during the journey.

Autonomous Aircraft Operates in Busy Airspace

During the flight, the aircraft operated at Phoenix Deer Valley Airport, which Joby described as one of the busiest general aviation airports in the United States.

The system also rerouted around severe weather and thunderstorms in real time.

According to Joby, the autonomous system completed these operations without prior familiarity with the airports involved.

“This journey across America offers a glimpse into a new era of aviation,” said JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation.

“Autonomy has an important role to play in the future of flight, allowing us to connect remote communities, deliver critical supplies, respond faster to disasters, support military operations, and keep pilots out of harm’s way.”

Electric Skies Tour Includes Multiple Autonomous Flight Demonstrations

The eastbound leg of Joby’s Electric Skies tour included several stops used to demonstrate different operational capabilities.

The route included:

• Concord, California: Departure from Buchanan Field Airport
• Phoenix, Arizona: Demonstrations focused on defense, first responder and cargo applications
• Fort Worth, Texas: Autonomous freight demonstrations at Alliance Airport
• Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina: Military flight operations and tactical readiness demonstrations
• Outer Banks, North Carolina: Autonomous landing at Dare County Regional Airport

The Fort Worth stop also coincided with Joby’s first air taxi eIPP flight in Texas.

Historic Low Pass Near Kitty Hawk

After completing the transcontinental route, the J208 conducted a low pass near the First Flight Monument at Kitty Hawk.

The flight marked the aircraft’s arrival near the location where Orville and Wilbur Wright conducted the first powered flight in 1903.

The aircraft then landed at Dare County Regional Airport.

Joby said the demonstration was intended to show how autonomous aviation could support point-to-point logistics for medical supplies and emergency freight in remote and underserved communities.

Flights Support State and Federal Aviation Initiatives

In North Carolina, Joby’s flights supported the NCDOT eLIFT-NC initiative focused on statewide healthcare logistics.

Western portions of the tour supported UDOT’s multi-state uFLY coalition, which is evaluating high-altitude and extreme-environment airspace integration for the FAA.

These demonstrations are part of Joby’s broader effort to show how autonomous aircraft could operate within the National Airspace System.

Joby Autonomy System Builds on More Than 400 Flights

Joby said its autonomous technology has completed more than 400 flights and accumulated more than 800 automated flight hours in controlled and uncontrolled airspace.

The autonomy stack builds on technology Joby acquired from Xwing in 2024.

The system has also been used in three major U.S. military exercises.

During the Air Force Agile Flag exercise, Joby said the aircraft delivered replacement parts 24 hours faster than conventional logistics.

During REFORPAC, aircraft operating in Hawaii were controlled remotely from Guam, nearly 4,000 miles away.

Return Journey Will Continue Westbound

Following the eastbound transcontinental milestone, the aircraft is scheduled to begin a westbound return journey.

Planned stops include:

• Raleigh
• Fredericksburg/Washington, D.C.
• Louisville
• Wichita
• Oklahoma City
• Salt Lake City
• Portland

The Joby autonomous flight demonstrates long-distance autonomous operations across multiple states, airports and operating environments while the company continues development of autonomous aviation technology for commercial, government and logistics applications.

Source: Press release from Joby Aviation, Inc.