PHOENIX, AZ (September 8, 2026) – The future of aviation touched down in Phoenix earlier today as Joby Aviation demonstrated its autonomous flight technology at Deer Valley Airport in Phoenix, Arizona. 

At an event in Phoenix, a Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft equipped with Joby’s autonomy technology completed a flight demonstration allowing local economic development, transportation, government, and community leaders to witness the potential for autonomous aircraft to support both civil and defense applications, including emergency services.  

The aircraft, dubbed the “J208”, operates under a supervised autonomy model, where a ground-based Remote Pilot serves as Pilot in Command to supervise the flight, update flight plans, and manage air traffic control (ATC) communications using the aircraft's standard radios, requiring no special handling or custom cockpit controls on the ground. 

 

“Arizona’s leadership in automated air technologies reflects the strength and caliber of innovation taking place across our state,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “With industry leaders like Joby and others, Arizona will remain at the forefront of groundbreaking technologies that strengthen our economy, enhance mobility, and expand opportunities.”  

“Arizona has emerged as a national leader in advanced mobility and next-generation aviation technologies, and Joby’s flight demonstration is a powerful example of that leadership,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “Hosting Joby’s flight demonstration in Phoenix underscores Arizona’s commitment to innovation and highlights Arizona’s leadership in accelerating the technologies that will help shape the future of transportation.” 

Arizona is a pioneer in automated vehicle technologies. In 2015, Arizona established one of the nation’s first regulatory frameworks for the safe deployment of automated vehicle (AV) testing, paving the way for further innovation and economic development. Today, Arizona is the home of the largest fully autonomous service area in the world operated by Waymo. 

The state also has become one of the nation’s premier proving grounds for automated vehicles and advanced air mobility, with the modern infrastructure and innovation environment to support testing and deployment of next-generation mobility technologies. 

Through the Institute of Advanced Mobility (IAM), housed at the Arizona Commerce Authority, Arizona continues to advance connected vehicle research and automated systems development. 

“Arizona's unique geography and vast regional corridors make it the perfect proving ground for the J208. Working with our partners in the uFLY coalition, we are generating the precise operational data needed to show how remote cargo supervision can seamlessly connect communities across the Southwest and rewrite the rules of regional logistics,” said Greg Bowles, Chief Policy Officer at Joby Aviation. 

The Phoenix demonstration marked the first stop of a national tour for Joby’s J208 aircraft, with the company planning to complete autonomous flights from the West Coast to the East Coast and back again, visiting 12 locations and covering approximately 5,541 nautical miles over the next month.  

Media Contact
Alyssa Tufts, Arizona Commerce Authority, alyssat@azcommerce.com

About Joby Aviation
Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE: JOBY) is a next-generation aviation company based in California. Its aircraft, propulsion and autonomy technologies span both commercial aviation and defense applications. Joby also operates Blade, a leading urban air mobility business providing passenger transportation services in the United States and Europe. Joby intends to operate its fast, quiet and convenient air taxi service in cities around the world and sell its aircraft to other operators and partners. To learn more, visit jobyaviation.com

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About the Arizona Commerce Authority
The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) is the state's leading economic development organization with a streamlined mission to grow and strengthen Arizona's economy. The ACA uses a three-pronged approach to advance the overall economy: attract, expand, create - attract out-of-state companies to establish operations in Arizona; work with existing companies to expand their business in Arizona and beyond; and help entrepreneurs create new Arizona businesses in targeted industries. For more information, please visit azcommerce.com and follow the ACA on X @azcommerce.