Joby Aviation, Inc., a next-generation aviation company, today announced that it demonstrated autonomous logistics aircraft operations in an evolving mission environment, in partnership with the U.S. Air Force during the ‘Agile Flag 24-3’ exercise. During the exercise, Joby’s team, which includes the autonomy division of Xwing acquired by Joby in June of this year, operated a fully autonomous Cessna 208B Grand Caravan for more than 3,900 miles of flight between military bases and public airports across California and Nevada. The aircraft autonomously transported essential components to restore the operational readiness of various Air Force assets, flying between 9 locations in a dynamic operational environment. The aircraft, while monitored by a safety pilot, completed a fully autonomous taxi, take-off, and landing at each location during the exercise without requiring on-the-ground infrastructure, including numerous sites that had not been previously visited by the aircraft. Joby also showcased its ability to remotely supervise the aircraft using a laptop and a satellite communications terminal, both of which are transportable in a single backpack.
“The return on investment for the U.S. Air Force with this technology is significant. By using it to handle smaller cargo, we can preserve cargo aircraft for more critical tasks like transporting large parts or engines. This not only enhances the overall capability of the cargo fleet but also ensures they are used where they are most needed,” said Col. Max Bremer, Air Mobility Command Special Access Program management officer.
Maxime Gariel, Autonomy Lead at Joby, commented: “We were pleased to continue demonstrating the capabilities of our autonomy technology during Agile Flag 24-3, where we completed dozens of fully autonomous aerial missions and showcased an ability to perform rapid resupply. We look forward to continuing to work with the U.S. Air Force as we further develop the suite of technologies that could enable greater automation or full autonomy, first on the Caravan and then on numerous other aircraft types.”
Earlier this year, the Xwing team participated in ‘Agile Flag 24-1’, a similar exercise, completing more than 2,800 miles of fully autonomous flight and demonstrating the ability to integrate autonomous aircraft into congested airspace as well as night operations, sloped runways, and landing at airports with no infrastructure. The Caravan’s autonomous capabilities are enabled by a suite of technologies developed by the Xwing autonomy team, which joined Joby in June 2024, and the aircraft has completed more than 300 fully autonomous flights since 2020. Joby’s acquisition of Xwing’s autonomy division and continued development of autonomy technology demonstrates the Company’s commitment to developing next-generation technologies which have the potential to continue to improve safety and widen access to commercial flight. Joby also expects the technology to play an important role in accelerating the execution of existing contract deliverables with the U.S. Department of Defense and expanding the potential for future contracts.
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development.
As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. AFWERX employs approximately 370 military, civilian and contractor personnel at five hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4 billion budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed over 6,200 new contracts worth more than $4.7 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability.
Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY) is a California-based transportation company developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing air taxi which it intends to operate as part of a fast, quiet, and convenient service in cities around the world. Joby’s aircraft is designed to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 mph, offering high-speed mobility with a fraction of the noise produced by helicopters and zero operating emissions.
