An aircraft equipped with autonomy technology developed by Joby Aviation recently completed a cross-country flight of more than 3,100 miles across the United States without a human pilot taking control at any point, the company announced on Friday. This flight showcased the capabilities of Joby’s autonomous systems and signaled that the company is expanding its ambitions beyond its well-known work on electric air taxis. The autonomous aircraft will return to the West Coast over the next two weeks, making stops in cities such as Louisville, Kentucky, and Salt Lake City. The flight, which Joby described as the “first-ever autonomous flight across the United States,” included fully autonomous taxiing, takeoffs, navigation, and landings. The aircraft was monitored remotely from Joby’s headquarters in California and from Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina. Although a pilot was on board to ensure compliance with regulations, the company emphasized that the aircraft performed the entire operation without human intervention. The flight used a converted Cessna Caravan, demonstrating that the autonomy technology can operate in various environments and handle different missions, such as medical transport, disaster response, and defense logistics. Joby is best known for developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which are designed for future urban air taxi services. However, the company has also been working closely with the U.S. Department of Defense and is increasingly focusing on military applications. Its autonomy technology, which can be retrofitted onto a wide range of conventional aircraft, is a key part of this strategy. Joby plans to first bring to market a regional airframe equipped with this autonomy system, which could be used for both defense missions and commercial freight transport. This push into the defense sector has been supported by a $17 million contract with the Air Force’s AFWERX program. In August, Joby took a major step by acquiring Resonant Sciences, a company based in Ohio that specializes in radio frequency and sensor systems, for $500 million in cash and stock. This acquisition has helped establish a dedicated defense business within Joby, which includes projects like the development of turbine-electric and hydrogen-electric aircraft. Additionally, Joby recently signed an agreement with defense contractor L3Harris Technologies to explore the development of a new class of gas-turbine hybrid vertical take-off and landing aircraft that can operate autonomously for defense applications.