New era of aviation': Autonomous airplane completes first-ever flight across the country

A single-engine Cessna Caravan completed the first-ever autonomous cross-country flight across the United States, setting a new aviation milestone. Operated under Joby Aviation’s oversight, the aircraft departed the company’s headquarters in Concord, California on Sept. 7, 2026, and flew 3,199 miles nationwide without a human pilot. Popular Science reported that autonomous programming handled the flight from taxi to takeoff and landing, with multiple stops including Alliance Airport in Fort Worth, Texas, and South Carolina’s Shaw Air Force Base. The route navigated challenges such as thunderstorms and Phoenix’s Deer Valley airport, one of the busiest general aviation hubs. After arriving Sept. 14, the aircraft flew over the Flight Monument in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, and is scheduled to return to California with stops in Washington, D.C., Kentucky, Kansas, Oklahoma, Utah, and Oregon.