Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) directorate AFWERX and Joby Aviation said they successfully demonstrated autonomous flight capabilities of a modified Cessna 208B Grand Caravan during a Department-Level Exercise at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, in late July. Operating under the Resolute Force Pacific series, the aircraft flew daily sorties to neighboring islands while being remotely managed from Guam, more than 3,800 miles away.
Each mission was monitored by a safety pilot onboard, though no manual inputs were needed. According to AFRL, the demonstration validated the aircraft’s ability to execute autonomous taxi, takeoff, enroute operations and landings at unfamiliar airfields using onboard sensors and external imagery.
Such capability is being explored as part of the Department of the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment concept, which the Air Force says emphasizes resilient, distributed logistics in contested environments.
Reliable Robotics announced a $17.4 million contract with the U.S. Air Force last week to test and provide similar capabilities through its autonomy system aboard a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan.
“Operating across the vast distances of the Indo-Pacific demands innovation,” Lt. Gen. Laura Lenderman, Pacific Air Forces deputy commander, told AFRL. “Demonstrations like this help us explore how autonomous systems can enhance our ability to operate in dispersed environments, reduce reliance on fixed infrastructure, and strengthen our ability to respond quickly and effectively across the theater.”
Joby’s participation builds on a series of autonomous flight trials conducted with AFWERX in 2024, where the Caravan flew more than 6,600 miles during several Air Force exercises.
“By working together with industry, we’re not just building better technologies, but a stronger defense ecosystem,” Brig. Gen. Jason Bartolomei, AFRL commander, said.
The Department-Level Exercise series spans more than 50 locations and includes over 400 joint and coalition aircraft.
0 replies