Joby's Undisclosed Hydrogen-Powered JAI 30 UAV Achieves Nine-Hour Flight Endurance, Signaling Broader Aerospace Ambitions
Key Insights
Joby Aviation has commenced covert testing of its long-range, hydrogen-powered JAI 30 unmanned aerial vehicle, demonstrating significant flight endurance.
The JAI 30 achieved a flight duration exceeding nine hours during initial tests at the Pendleton UAS Range, positioning it among top endurance UAVs.
This development signals Joby's strategic expansion beyond air taxis into broader aerospace and defense applications, leveraging hydrogen-electric technology.
The company's collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense and recent acquisition of Xwing's autonomy division underscore its advanced capabilities.
Joby Aviation has quietly commenced testing of its previously undisclosed, long-range hydrogen-powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the JAI 30, which recently demonstrated an impressive flight endurance exceeding nine hours. This significant development, observed through publicly available flight data briefly before its removal and confirmed by direct observation at the Pendleton Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Range in Eastern Oregon, marks a strategic expansion for the California-based aerospace company beyond its core eVTOL air taxi ambitions into broader defense and long-duration autonomous flight applications.
The JAI 30, characterized by its distinctive squat, bulbous fuselage balanced by extended wings, was observed undergoing operations at the Pendleton facility. Technicians were seen detaching a hydrogen tank line, indicating the aircraft's reliance on a hydrogen-electric drivetrain. FAA registration records link the aircraft to Joby, corroborating its identity. The recorded flight on June 30, 2025, lasting over nine hours, places the JAI 30 among the longest-endurance hydrogen-powered UAVs developed to date, though it has not surpassed the 30-hour record set by Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)'s significantly lighter 50 kg aircraft.
Joby's strategic trajectory has increasingly positioned it as a comprehensive aerospace company. Following its 2020 absorption of Uber's Elevate division, Joby acquired hydrogen-electric flight specialist H2FLY in 2021. This strategic move bore fruit in 2024 when a Joby JAS4 eVTOL-based hydrogen-electric demonstrator completed a 523-mile flight, showcasing the company's commitment to zero-emission, long-range capabilities. JoeBen Bevirt, Joby's founder, previously articulated a vision for emission-free regional travel, a vision now extending to autonomous systems.
Collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has been a significant driver, with contracts potentially exceeding $160 million. The DOD's AFWERX program has expressed strong interest in hydrogen-powered aircraft, aligning with its goals for energy substitution, diversification, and demand reduction. John Ridge, a national security observer, highlighted hydrogen's superior specific energy compared to chemical batteries, making it ideal for UAS applications where extended endurance is critical for supplementing sustainment in isolated operational environments.
Further bolstering its autonomous capabilities, Joby acquired Xwing's autonomy division in June 2024. Xwing, known for extensive flight hours with the AFWERX program, brings proven expertise in unmanned operations. An Xwing ground control station, nearly identical to one observed during Air Force testing, was seen adjacent to the JAI 30 at Pendleton, underscoring the integration of these advanced autonomous systems. The Pendleton UAS Range, with its 14,000 square miles of low-traffic airspace and capacity for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights, provides an optimal testing ground, a strategic choice for Joby's new operational base established between late May and early June 2025.