Joby Aviation conducted an autonomous flight from California to North Carolina covering about 5,150 km. Unlike a conventional autopilot, the system carried out not only the flight itself, but also taxiing, takeoff and landing.
A safety pilot was on board the entire time, but never once intervened in the controls. The most notable part is that the aircraft did not simply follow a pre-recorded route. The system avoided thunderstorm fronts, changed course because of weather, and operated in the Phoenix area, where air traffic is fairly dense.
In the future, such autonomous aircraft could be used to deliver medicines and cargo, work in disaster zones, provide links to remote settlements, and carry out dangerous tasks without putting a pilot’s life at risk.
