J.P.Instruments was founded in 1986 in California. Its founder, Joseph Polizzotto, is now the current CEO. Joe worked as a test engineer, measuring temperatures and pressures on jet aircraft engines. With the experience gained in thermocouple technology at Pratt and Whitney, he designed the Scanner in 1979, to measure engine temperatures in his personal Cessna 172. Soon thereafter, when friends and fellow pilots saw the new instrument in the 172 plane, they all wanted one for themselves. Thus, JPI was born.

Following the success of the Scanner came the EDM-500. the predecessor to the EDM-700 series. However, the exact parameters as to how the EDM was going to record and display data took several years for its completion, in addition to a lot of customer and market input. J.P. Instruments has added a whole line of reliable and cost effective aircraft instrumentation to its name. Among these are engine data management systems, fuel flow gauges, and GPS moving maps. Pilots and mechanics alike have come to know JPI for its high quality, good service, and utmost reliability.