Autonomous Mars helicopters to be developed for NASA SkyFall mission by AeroVironment
AeroVironment has secured a contract with NASA to co-develop three autonomous helicopters for the 2028 SkyFall mission to Mars. These aircraft will utilize technology from the Ingenuity helicopter to map subsurface ice and collect atmospheric data.
Why it matters
This mission represents a significant advancement in autonomous planetary exploration and subsurface resource mapping, building on the success of previous Mars missions.
ARLINGTON, Virginia. AeroVironment won a contract to co-design and co-manufacture three autonomous helicopters with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for the agency's SkyFall mission to Mars, the company announced in a statement.
The mission is planned to launch in late 2028 and will use three instrument-carrying helicopters designed to enter the Martian atmosphere, separate from their carrier spacecraft, descend, and land under their own power, the statement reads.
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