Joby’s eVTOL Technology Tested in Defense Exercise
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Joby Aviation has successfully demonstrated its Superpilot autonomous flight technology during Resolute Force Pacific (REFORPAC), a Department-Level Exercise led by Pacific Air Forces. The exercise took place over the Pacific Ocean and Hawaii, logging more than 7,000 miles and 40 flight hours.
The flights were directed from ground stations, including operations at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, more than 3,000 miles away. A safety pilot remained onboard the Cessna 208 aircraft. The demonstration highlighted the potential of autonomous systems to provide light intra-theater airlift capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense.
Greg Bowles, Chief Policy Officer at Joby, said, “The exercise demonstrated Superpilot’s ability to operate in complex, real-world scenarios with the precision and reliability demanded by the U.S. government.”
Lt. Col. Jonathan Gilbert, AFWERX Prime division chief, added, “REFORPAC was an opportunity to demonstrate the technology in a realistic environment and highlight the potential impact of these autonomous systems.”
During the exercise, the Superpilot system completed missions including cargo delivery, inter-island transport, dynamic retasking, and reconnaissance profiles. Joby reported more than 7,000 miles of operations, including a 4,925-mile Pacific crossing.
The effort builds on Joby’s acquisition of Xwing’s autonomy division in 2024, accelerating the integration of autonomous systems into defense and future commercial aviation applications.
