Ingenuity Copter Makes Longest Flight Yet | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-06.02.25

Airborne-NextGen-06.03.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.04.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-06.05.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.06.25

Fri, Dec 29, 2023

Ingenuity Copter Makes Longest Flight Yet

2,315-Foot Hop Breaks Records for Mars Helo

Flight number 69 broke all previous records for the NASA Mars Helicopter program, soaring above Airfield Chi for 2,315 feet.

While in flight, Ingenuity got about 52 feet above the Martian terrain, with an average groundspeed of 22.4 mph. The Short flight took 135.4 seconds in all, adding another journey to its logbook on the precipice of hitting flight number 70. Ingenuity has been given a pretty steady series of goals, with each flight rounding out to about 700 meters. In mission 68, the little helo that could made it 2,304 feet in one hop, a goal that held true for mission 68, too.

That mission was scheduled for December 22nd, but results of the flight don't seem to be published yet. The overflights of the Jezero landscape have continued to pay dividends to Ingenuity's sibling, the Perseverance rover. Photographs of the terrain have allowed the JPL team to plot the most optimal course for the rover, saving time and minimizing risk - after all, if Perseverance gets stuck, they can't just send someone out with a shovel to help get it out again.

Mission 70 will aim for almost 130 seconds of flight time, at 6.5 mph, around 40 feet AGL, which will net about half the distance of the last record breaker at 849 feet.

FMI: www.mars.nasa.gov

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (06.03.25): No Gyro Approach

No Gyro Approach A radar approach/vector provided in case of a malfunctioning gyro-compass or directional gyro. Instead of providing the pilot with headings to be flown, the contro>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (06.03.25)

Aero Linx: European Hang Gliding and Paragliding Union (EHPU) The general aim of the EHPU is to promote and protect hang gliding and paragliding in Europe. In order to achieve this>[...]

ANN FAQ: Turn On Post Notifications

Make Sure You NEVER Miss A New Story From Aero-News Network Do you ever feel like you never see posts from a certain person or page on Facebook or Instagram? Here’s how you c>[...]

Airborne 05.30.25: Anti-Helicopter Bill, PW Strike Done, All-Electric Bristell

Also: Duffy Wants $$$, KS Airports, Morningside U’s Aviation School, New Airstrip In ID After 6 were killed in a helicopter crash over the Hudson River, several US Representa>[...]

Airborne 05.29.25: ATC Bonu$, VX4 eVTOL Flies, Starship 9 Test

Also: Hermeus Quarterhorse MK1, Seaplane Rating Guide, Vietjet A330neos, SFO Wacky Weed Bust As the air traffic controller shortage trudges on, the US Department of Transportation >[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC