Look, Ma, no pilot

Joby Aviation’s Cessna Caravan completed a 3,199-mile cross-country trip in eight days without a human pilot onboard, using full autonomous control—essentially “autopilot,” according to the report. The autonomous aircraft departed from Concord, California, navigated thunderstorms and aircraft traffic, and made two scheduled stops in Fort Worth and South Carolina. It then arrived in North Carolina entirely under computer management, including taxi, takeoff and landing. The concept is compared to Waymo’s driverless approach, but in the air instead of on roads. The piece also notes that there is a video available showing the flight.