Joby Aviation’s 3,100-mile autonomous flight signals its push beyond electric air taxis

Joby Aviation’s converted Cessna Caravan flew 3,100 miles autonomously across the United States, executing taxi, takeoff, navigation, and landing without pilot input while a pilot stayed on board for compliance. The flight was supervised from California and Shaw Air Force Base. Joby demonstrated its autonomy stack for medical transport, disaster response, and defense logistics. The company plans to market a regional airframe equipped with this stack, backed by a $17 million Air Force contract and a recent $500 million acquisition of Resonant Sciences, targeting commercial freight and military operations.