Joby Aviation Acquires Xwing’s Autonomy Division in Bold Move Towards Autonomous Flight

Joby Positions Itself at the Forefront of Aviation Autonomy

In a significant development for the future of air travel, Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY) has announced the acquisition of the autonomy division of Xwing Inc., a leader in autonomous aviation technology. This strategic move positions Joby at the cutting edge of autonomous flight and complements its 2021 acquisition of radar sensor technology company Inras GmbH.

Xwing’s Impressive Track Record in Autonomous Flight

Founded in 2016, Xwing has been flying autonomous aircraft since 2020 using its proprietary Superpilot software. With 250 fully autonomous flights and over 500 auto-landings completed, Xwing became the first company to receive an official project designation for certifying a large unmanned aerial system (UAS) from the FAA in April 2023 and the first to receive an Air Force Military Flight Release in 2024.

Joby’s Vision for Accessible and Affordable Aerial Mobility

Joby’s Founder and CEO, JoeBen Bevirt, emphasized that while their initial aircraft will have qualified pilots on board, “a future generation of autonomous aircraft will play an important part in unlocking our vision of making clean and affordable aerial mobility as accessible as possible.”

The acquisition of Xwing’s talented team and advanced autonomous technologies is a significant step towards realizing this vision.

Xwing’s Autonomous Flights Demonstrate Real-World Potential

Xwing’s autonomous flights, completed using a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft, focused on critical areas such as vision system processing, detect and avoid algorithms, mission management, decision making, and the integration of AI and machine learning. In early 2024, the aircraft participated in the Air Force’s Agile Flag 24-1 Joint Force exercise, completing daily flights covering around 2,800 miles and landing at eight public and military airports, showcasing the ability to integrate autonomous aircraft into the national airspace system[1].

DroneXL’s Take

The acquisition of Xwing’s autonomy division by Joby Aviation is a significant milestone in the advancement of autonomous flight technology. By combining Xwing’s expertise in perception technology, system integration, and certification with Joby’s electric Air Taxi development, the company is well-positioned to lead the way in making clean, affordable, and accessible aerial mobility a reality.

This move not only accelerates Joby’s progress towards fully autonomous operations but also expands the potential for future contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. As the demand for efficient and sustainable transportation solutions grows, the integration of autonomous aircraft into the national airspace system will be crucial. Joby Aviation’s bold step forward demonstrates the immense potential of autonomous flight technology and its ability to revolutionize the way we travel in the near future.

Image courtesy of Joby Aviation