First Autonomous Flight Across the United States
3 hours ago
- Joby Aviation completed the first autonomous flight across the United States, covering 3,199 miles with zero control inputs from the safety pilot.
- The aircraft, a converted Cessna Caravan, performed autonomous taxiing, takeoffs, navigation, and landings under remote supervision from California and South Carolina.
- The flight demonstrated the technology's capabilities in high-density environments, including rerouting around severe weather, supporting applications in freight, medical transport, disaster response, and defense.
- The eastbound route included stops in Concord (CA), Phoenix (AZ), Fort Worth (TX), Shaw Air Force Base (SC), and concluded in Outer Banks (NC), near Kitty Hawk.
- A low pass near the First Flight Monument honored the Wright brothers' first powered flight.
- The technology is based on over 400 flights and 800 automated flight hours, and has been proven in military exercises like Agile Flag and REFORPAC.
- Future westbound stops include Raleigh, Washington D.C., Louisville, Wichita, Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City, and Portland.