Joby Aviation Marks Autonomous Flight Milestone with 7,000-Mile Demo
Joby Aviation, a pioneer in autonomous flight technology, has successfully showcased its Superpilot system across an impressive 7,000 miles during a U.S. Defense exercise over the Pacific Ocean and Hawaii.
The demonstration was part of the Resolute Force Pacific (REFORPAC) exercise. The California-based eVTOL company logged over 40 flight hours, with autonomous operations managed from ground control stations over 3,000 miles away at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
The system successfully piloted a Cessna 208 Caravan, demonstrating capabilities including:
- Rapid cargo deliveries
- Dynamic retasking
- Intelligence surveillance missions
“The exercise demonstrated Superpilot’s ability to operate in complex, real-world scenarios with the precision and reliability demanded by the U.S. government,” said Greg Bowles, Chief Policy Officer at Joby. The successful demonstration positions Joby to compete for upcoming Department of Defense programs, with the DOD requesting $9.4 billion in its FY26 budget for autonomous aircraft development.
Joby acquired the autonomy technology through its purchase of Xwing’s autonomy division in June 2024, accelerating development for both defense and commercial air taxi applications.
Source: https://www.jobyaviation.com/news/superpilot-reforpac-2025/