NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter still exceeds the limits long after its first takeoff to Mars. As CNET points out, the space agency shared a video of Flight 25 of Ingeniuity on April 8, when it broke record for duration and speed. The robotic helicopter flew at 12 MPH for just over two minutes and 41 seconds, providing images of the undulating sands and rock fields of the Red Planet as part of the 2,310-foot journey. The footage you see below was accelerated to reduce the viewing time to 35 seconds.
The video does not include the beginning or end of the trip, but for good reason. The navigation camera is turned off whenever Ingenuity is less than three feet from the Martian surface to prevent dust from interfering with the navigation system. The autonomous steering wheel receives flight plans from JPL, but uses a combination of the camera, a laser rangefinder and an inertial unit of measure to adapt to real-life conditions.
The wit has flown three times since then. It is currently preparing for a 29th flight after a brief scare in early May, when the mission team lost communication after the helicopter went into a low-power state. NASA can’t be easily deterred, so expect the plane to keep flying for a while.
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