The startup is looking to expand beyond electric air taxi rides in major cities.
Joby Aviation has claimed the “first-ever autonomous flight across the United States,” after it outfitted an aircraft with its autonomous flight system to complete the journey without human input. The trip started from California’s Buchanan Field Airport and finished at Dare County Regional Airport in Outer Banks, NC, totaling 3,199 miles.
Joby said it integrated its autonomy tech into a converted Cessna Caravan, which was able to do everything from taxiing, takeoff, cruising and landing on its own without any control inputs from an onboard safety pilot. Besides a human monitor on the aircraft, Joby remotely supervised the aircraft at its headquarters in California and at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina. After completing its eastbound leg, Joby’s autonomous aircraft will now travel back westward and make pit stops in cities including Raleigh, NC, Salt Lake City and Portland, Ore.
Outside its latest autonomous achievement, Joby is better known for its piloted air taxis that are fully electric, which it began demoing in New York City in April and is planning to launch to the public later this year. However, Joby’s latest stunt could expand the startup’s capabilities beyond quicker commutes in busy cities. The company said that its autonomous flight can be integrated into existing aircraft and be used for areas like commercial freight, emergency response or defense logistics applications.
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