Joby’s US Air Force Autonomy Contracts Reach Nearly $37m
Joby Aviation has secured additional funding from the US Air Force for its autonomous flight programme, bringing the service’s total commitment to nearly $37 million and increasing the ceiling on the company’s operational testing contract to $50 million.
Awarded through AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation unit, the funding will support further development of Joby’s autonomous flight software and expanded operational testing in the Pacific. The work is intended to support the military’s longer-term plans for autonomous logistics operations.
The announcement follows Joby’s recent coast-to-coast demonstration using a Cessna 208 Caravan, designated the J208, equipped with its autonomy system. The aircraft flew from Concord, California, to North Carolina’s Outer Banks as part of a multi-leg tour covering 6,665 miles, with landings in 11 states and flight operations across 24 states.
Joby said the aircraft completed taxiing, take-offs, route navigation and landings without control inputs from its onboard safety pilot. Flights were supervised remotely, with the ground operator able to monitor the aircraft, update routes and communicate with air traffic control. The company reported that the system was monitored from distances of up to 2,537 miles.
The autonomy programme builds on technology acquired from Xwing in 2024. Joby says the system has completed more than 400 autonomous flights. The company is also planning to acquire defence technology business Resonant Sciences, a transaction it expects to complete in the first half of 2027.
Previous military demonstrations have included participation in the US military’s REFORPAC exercises in August 2025, during which an aircraft operating in Hawaii was controlled remotely from Guam, nearly 4,000 miles away. Joby also took part in the Air Force’s Agile Flag exercise, where it said an autonomous aircraft delivered replacement parts 24 hours faster than conventional logistics methods.
The new funding will support software integration, design updates, safety reviews and further operational exercises in the Pacific. AFWERX said the programme is intended to improve logistics resilience in contested environments while reducing risks to aircrews and freeing crewed aircraft for other missions.
Alongside its defence work, Joby is using the J208 programme in US initiatives examining the integration of autonomous aircraft into civilian airspace. These include healthcare logistics activity in North Carolina and high-altitude operations in a multi-state programme involving Utah.
