Overview
- Joby announced on Sept. 18, 2026 that it completed the eastbound leg of a fully autonomous 3,199‑mile, multi‑stop flight using a converted Cessna Caravan that executed taxiing, takeoffs, route navigation, and landings without pilot control inputs.
- The aircraft was supervised remotely from Joby’s autonomy headquarters in California and from Shaw Air Force Base with operators monitoring the flight from distances up to about 2,323 miles while an onboard safety pilot made no control inputs.
- Joby says the autonomy stack came from its 2024 acquisition of Xwing and has since logged more than 400 flights and over 800 automated hours and been exercised in multiple U.S. military exercises for logistics missions.
- Investors reacted cautiously despite the milestone, with JOBY shares closing lower on the day and an SEC filing showing CEO JoeBen Bevirt sold more than 606,000 shares under a prearranged trading plan.
- The Caravan is on a planned westbound return with stops at regional airports and Joby says the demonstration aims to prove use cases for freight, medical deliveries and military logistics while full commercial scaling will require long FAA approvals and additional capital.