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Aviation Company Says It Completed Fully Autonomous Flight Across the U.S.
- On Friday, September 18, 2026, Joby Aviation completed the first-ever autonomous flight across the United States, with a modified Cessna 208B Caravan traveling 3,199 miles from California to North Carolina without human control input.
- Joby acquired the autonomous flight division of Xwing in 2024, integrating the technology into the J208 aircraft after logging more than 400 flights and 800 automated flight hours in preparation.
- An onboard safety pilot remained present throughout but made zero control inputs, while remote operators supervised from facilities in California and South Carolina, navigating challenges like Phoenix, Arizona's busy airspace autonomously.
- Part of the 2026 Electric Skies tour, the mission included stops at Fort Worth Alliance Airport and Shaw Air Force Base to demonstrate autonomous aircraft capabilities for military logistics and supply delivery.
- The aircraft will return to the West Coast with planned stops in Louisville, Kentucky; Wichita, Kansas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Portland, Oregon over the next two weeks.
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SCIENCE & TECH: Autonomous airplane completes first cross-continental trip
It took autonomous aviation to new heights…and lengths. A single-engine prop Cessna Caravan soared into the record books after becoming the first autonomous airplane to complete a cross-country flight across the US. “This journey across America offers a glimpse into a new era of aviation,” declared JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, in a statement. His firm oversaw the robo-prop as it departed the company headquarters in Concord, C…
It is the first autonomous flight from coast to coast. In total it traveled 5,148 kilometers autonomously carrying out take-off, navigation, flight and landing, while a pilot remained on board without touching the controls.
·Madrid, Spain
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Total News Sources39
Leaning Left1Leaning Right4Center16Last UpdatedBias Distribution76% Center
Bias Distribution
- 76% of the sources are Center
76% Center
C 76%
R 19%
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