Joby’s autonomous flight technology Superpilot flying a Cessna 208 during REFORPAC 2025.

Joby Aviation has taken a major step forward in the evolution of autonomous aviation. The Santa Cruz–based company announced this week that its Superpilot™ system successfully completed a Department of Defense exercise in the Pacific, showcasing the dual potential of autonomous flight for both defense operations and the future of commercial aviation.

As part of the Resolute Force Pacific (REFORPAC) exercise, led by Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), Joby’s Superpilot controlled a Cessna 208 Caravan across missions in Hawaii and the Pacific Ocean. Over the course of the exercise, the system logged more than 7,000 miles and nearly 44 flight hours, including a 4,925-mile round-trip ferry flight across the Pacific. While a safety pilot remained onboard, all flights were directed primarily from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam—over 3,000 miles away—proving the system’s ability to operate from great distances with precision.

Meeting a Critical Defense Need

The Department of Defense has identified a pressing challenge: moving small but urgent payloads across wide operational theaters without tying up large, costly aircraft. Joby’s technology demonstrated that light cargo planes equipped with Superpilot could fill this gap, handling missions such as rapid cargo delivery, inter-island transport, dynamic retasking, and even intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) profiles.

“The exercise demonstrated Superpilot’s ability to operate in complex, real-world scenarios with the precision and reliability demanded by the U.S. government,” said Greg Bowles, Joby’s Chief Policy Officer. He emphasized that the milestone builds on more than a decade of collaboration with the Department of Defense.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Gilbert, division chief at AFWERX Prime, called the demonstration a pivotal moment. “REFORPAC was an opportunity to highlight the potential impact of these autonomous systems,” Gilbert noted. “The lessons learned will guide our focus as we continue to develop affordable technologies that support Airmen in contested logistics missions.”

A Path Toward Dual-Use Integration

Autonomous flight technology has quickly become a national priority. The Department of Defense requested $9.4 billion in its 2026 budget to accelerate development of autonomous and hybrid aircraft. Joby’s successful demonstration places the company in a strong position to compete for future programs, while also informing the integration of autonomy into its flagship electric air taxi platform.

The company’s June 2024 acquisition of Xwing’s autonomy division accelerated this progress, bringing Superpilot under the Joby umbrella with the intent of advancing both defense and civilian applications.

Expanding Market Leadership

Joby is best known for its development of all-electric, vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft designed to serve as air taxis in cities worldwide. By proving the operational versatility of its autonomy technology—from Class B airspace to uncontrolled zones, under both visual and instrument flight rules—the company is strengthening its credibility as a dual-use innovator.

With global defense and commercial markets both seeking cost-effective, reliable, and sustainable mobility solutions, Joby’s work at REFORPAC signals a broader shift: autonomous flight is no longer theoretical, but rapidly moving into real-world deployment.

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