A Cessna 208B utility aircraft flew more than 3,900 miles (6,276 kilometers) without a pilot during a recent US Air Force demonstration.
Part of the Agile Flag military exercise, the demo allowed the plane to showcase Joby Aviation’s autonomy system in conducting a remote cargo transport operation.
According to the company, the aircraft traversed various military bases and public airports across California and Nevada while being monitored by a “safety pilot.”
It also completed an autonomous taxi, take-off, and landing at nine different locations, including those it had not visited before.
To supervise the entire autonomous cargo transport, Joby said it only used a laptop and a satellite communications terminal, which can be carried in a single backpack.
Performing Rapid Resupply
US Air Force Air Mobility Command official Col. Max Bremer floated the possibility of using the utility aircraft to carry out the delivery of smaller cargo.
That way, “we can preserve cargo aircraft for more critical tasks like transporting large parts or engines,” he said.
This strategy will reportedly enhance the overall capability of the service’s cargo fleet and ensure that critical assets are used when they are most needed.
For Joby autonomy lead Maxime Gariel, the milestone confirms that the firm’s autonomous system can contribute to rapid and long-range resupply missions.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the US Air Force as we further develop the suite of technologies that could enable greater automation or full autonomy,” he stressed.
In January, the Cessna 208B plane also completed an autonomous logistics demonstration, covering a distance of 2,800 miles (4,506 kilometers).