A converted Cessna C208B Grand Caravan from Californian startup Xwing has completed a test flight on its own. The project could be the first step on the road to transforming regional freight transport. Xwing’s autonomous system can control the aircraft from standstill to standstill, meaning in theory there is no need for direct human intervention once the engine is fired up.
The San Francisco-based company recently released details of its second test flight in February, which took place around Concord Airport in California, Flightglobal reported. Although a safety pilot was in the cockpit of the modified aircraft, his intervention was not required and the remote monitoring crew communicated with air traffic control, for example.
Marc Piette, Director of Xwing, said that over the past year, a number of improvements have been made to the Autoflight system, integrating taxiing, take-off and landing control functions, so that the aircraft can now manoeuvre on the ground and avoid obstacles.
The operations controlled by the system can be monitored from a control centre at all times, via a redundant data link, which can currently be interrupted by the safety pilot. For the time being, Xwing’s developments seem to be well received by investors, with the company’s value estimated at $400 million after its latest fundraising campaign. However, systems similar to Autoflight are being developed by a number of companies, including industry giants Airbus and Boeing, for various types of aircraft.
The advantage of the Californian company could be its flexibility, as the concept is that the system can be fitted to any type of aircraft used in the regional freight market and used for flights up to 805 kilometres. The main obstacles are the lack of legislation, obtaining regulatory approvals and increasing public acceptance of the technology.
More articles you may be interested in...
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Archer Aviation and Palantir Technologies unite to forge the AI-driven future of aviation
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Evolution and Implications of Battery Charging Technology for evtol and Electric Aircraft in 2025
The evolution and implications of battery charging technology for electric vertical takeoff and landing (evtol) and electric aircraft are pivotal for the aviation industry's sustainability goals. As of March 18, 2025, this technology is at a critical juncture, with significant advancements and challenges shaping its future.
Additional aircraft News & Articles
Bio-inspired drone technology: pioneering Mars exploration
Researchers at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FSB) at the University of Zagreb, in collaboration with the...>>>...READ MORE
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Evolution of eVTOLs and electric aircraft in 2025: A comprehensive analysis
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Joby and Virgin Atlantic announce groundbreaking partnership
News & Articles Points of interest
Artificial intelligence outperforms human pilots in simulated air combat
Flying Cars News & Articles
Will we have flying cars before fully self-driving cars ?
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
EHang: Record Growth and Breakthrough in Urban Air Mobility – A Detailed Analysis of 2024 Financial Results
EHang Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: EH), the world’s leading Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology platform company,...>>>...READ MORE
moreElectric airplane News & Articles
The technological evolution of electric aircraft: what can we expect by 2025 ?
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Electric motor development: new materials and efficiency-enhancing technologies
Electric motors are the beating heart of eVTOLs. Unlike the roaring engines of old-school helicopters, these motors hum with electricity, converting stored energy from batteries into the mechanical power needed to lift off, cruise, and land. But here’s the catch: eVTOLs demand a lot from...>>>...READ MORE
Drones News & Articles
Drones and artificial intelligence: a new era of agricultural decision-making
Drones News & Articles
BYD and DJI create a car with a drone
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Artificial intelligence and the future of self-driving eVTOLs
This is the vision of autonomous electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs, a...>>>...READ MORE
moreNews & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
The current status of hydrogen-powered aircraft
Air transport has been growing steadily over the past decades, but sustainability is a growing challenge for the industry. The fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions of conventional aircraft cause significant environmental impacts, while global demand for air travel continues to grow.