Mars helicopter first flight: Nasa to test Ingenuity

Ingenuity is set to be the first rotorcraft to fly on another planet. This is how it’ll work. …

This small helicopter is set to be the first to fly on another planet.

Ingenuity is a 1.8kg (4lb) helicopter that travelled to Mars inside Nasa’s Perseverance rover, which landed in February 2021.

Nasa say it’s now aiming to test it on Monday 19 April but admits it may not be successful, in which case they’ll try again later in the week.

Flying on the Red Planet isn’t straightforward – as BBC science reporter Laura Foster and Nasa systems engineer Farah Alibay explain.

Video by Laura Foster