Joby Aviation has received additional funding from the U.S. Air Force to advance its autonomous flight programme, bringing the service’s total commitment to nearly $37 million and increasing the ceiling of the company’s operational testing contract to $50 million.
The award was issued through AFWERX, the Air Force unit responsible for supporting innovation and technology development. The funding will support further development of Joby’s autonomous flight software, system integration and expanded operational testing in the Pacific.
The programme is intended to help the military develop autonomous airlift capabilities for future logistics operations, particularly in environments where conventional supply routes and crewed aircraft may face operational constraints.
Autonomous Cessna Completes 6,665-Mile Demonstration
The funding follows Joby’s recent cross-country demonstration involving a Cessna 208 Caravan equipped with its autonomous flight system. Designated the J208, the aircraft flew from Concord, California, to North Carolina’s Outer Banks during a multi-leg journey covering 6,665 miles.
The demonstration included landings in 11 states and flight operations across 24 states. According to Joby, the aircraft completed taxiing, take-offs, route navigation and landings without control inputs from its onboard safety pilot.
Operations were supervised remotely by a ground-based operator who could monitor the aircraft, modify flight routes and communicate with air traffic control. Joby said the system was monitored from distances of up to 2,537 miles.
The demonstration was designed to show how autonomous flight systems can support aircraft operations over long distances while maintaining remote oversight.
Military Programme Builds on Xwing Technology
Joby’s autonomy programme incorporates technology acquired from Xwing in 2024. The company said the system has completed more than 400 autonomous flights.
Joby is also planning to acquire defence technology company Resonant Sciences, with the transaction expected to close in the first half of 2027.
Previous military activities have included the U.S. military’s REFORPAC exercises in August 2025. During the exercise, an aircraft operating in Hawaii was remotely controlled from Guam, nearly 4,000 miles away.
The company also participated in the Air Force’s Agile Flag exercise, where it reported that an autonomous aircraft delivered replacement parts 24 hours faster than conventional logistics methods.
The latest contract expansion will fund software integration, design modifications, safety assessments and additional operational exercises in the Pacific.
AFWERX Targets More Resilient Military Logistics
AFWERX said the programme is intended to strengthen Air Force logistics resilience by supporting cargo operations in contested environments. Autonomous aircraft could help reduce exposure risks for aircrews while allowing crewed aircraft to remain available for missions requiring onboard personnel.
Kate Brown, Contested Logistics Tactical Airlift Lead at AFWERX, said the initiative is focused on evaluating autonomous airlift technologies for future military requirements.
“AFWERX is supporting the development and evaluation of autonomous airlift technologies to strengthen Air Force logistics resilience. Our goal is to sustain cargo operations in contested environments while reducing risk to aircrews and preserving crewed aircraft for missions that require them,”
Civilian Applications Also Under Development
Beyond its defence activities, Joby is using the J208 programme to support U.S. initiatives examining how autonomous aircraft could operate within civilian airspace.
These efforts include healthcare logistics activities in North Carolina and high-altitude operations under a multi-state programme involving Utah.
Joby Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt said the additional funding would support the development of an autonomy system designed to operate across different aircraft platforms.
“This contract expansion is a powerful validation of the adaptability of Joby’s autonomy stack,”
“We designed this system to be platform-agnostic, letting us quickly bring advanced autonomy to a wide range of high-utility aircraft. This funding will accelerate our path to sustained uncrewed operations, delivering a single software solution that solves critical logistics challenges for both the U.S. military and cargo industries.”
The expanded Air Force contract adds to Joby’s efforts to develop autonomous flight capabilities for both military and commercial applications, with further testing planned in the Pacific.