The Rise of autonomous cargo aircraft

Two new projects are bringing autonomous cargo flight closer to reality.

Joby Aviation has completed a 5,148-km autonomous flight across the United States using a converted Cessna Caravan, with the aircraft handling taxiing, takeoff, navigation and landing under remote supervision.

Meanwhile, Textron Aviation and Merlin have unveiled the Cessna SkyCourier UX, an autonomous military cargo aircraft concept designed to carry around 2,722 kg of cargo and operate from rough runways.

Both projects use proven aircraft platforms combined with autonomous flight technology—pointing to new possibilities for cargo deliveries in remote or high-risk environments.