Also: ERAU Researchers Receive Grants, Aquiline Drones, Cygnus, Flint Hills and UAV Navigation

Mission controllers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California have received the first status report from the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which landed Feb. 18, 2021, at Jezero Crater attached to the belly of the agency’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover.

The downlink, which arrived at 1630 EST via a connection through the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, indicates that both the helicopter, which will remain attached to the rover for 30 to 60 days, and its base station (an electrical box on the rover that stores and routes communications between the rotorcraft and Earth) are operating as expected. FRESHVALE LTD released their new HEAVY VTOL UAV 150H. The unmanned helicopter HEAVY VTOL UAV 150H successfully performed tests by delivering 150 kg cargo to 130 km demonstrating safe autonomous flight and economical fuel consumption (22-25 l/h). The mission was completed by the crew of 2 persons only – operator and technician. Also; Freshvale Ltd has verified this performance was carried out in the harsh environmental conditions of mountainous areas. Surf Air Mobility has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire hybrid electric aviation technology pioneer Ampaire. The addition of Ampaire's proprietary hybrid electric powertrain technology is a critical component in Surf Air Mobility's plans to dramatically improve the affordability, accessibility, and environmental footprint of aviation, beginning with regional travel. The applications for the unmanned and autonomous industry are also considerable. All this -- and MORE in today's episode of Airborne-Unmanned!!!

Airborne-Unmanned 02.23.21 is chock full of info in this Weekly News Episode, Tuesday, February 23rd, 2021... Presented by Aero-TV veteran videographer and Airborne Hosts Kimberly Kay, Sophie Hurlock, Brianne Cross, Christopher Odom, and Laura Hutson, and is supported by ANN CEO/Editor-In-Chief Jim Campbell, and Chief Videographer Nathan Cremisino, this episode covers:

• The Ultimate RC Helo? NASA’s Mars Helicopter Phones It in 
• New HEAVY VTOL UAV 150H Unveiled
• Surf Air Mobility To Acquire Ampaire 
• Eagle Researchers Receive FAA Grants to Assure Drone Safety
• Aquiline Drones Promotes 'Made in America' UAV Product Line 
• 15th Northrop Grumman Resupply Mission Launches to ISS
• Flint Hills and UAV Navigation Partner Up

Get Comprehensive, Real-Time, 24/7 coverage of the latest aviation and aerospace stories anytime, at aero-news.net. And be sure to join us again next week for the next edition of "Airborne-Unmanned" here on Aero-TV. Thanks for watching. See you, again, next week!

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