https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-captures-video-of-record-flight Skip to main content JPL Careers Education Science & Technology JPL Logo About JPL Missions News Galleries Events Visit Topics JPL Logo Mars . NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Captures Video of Record Flight May 27, 2022 Your browser cannot play the provided video file(s). NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter made a record-breaking 25th flight on April 8, 2022. The navigation camera aboard the rotorcraft captured its longest and fastest flight to date on the Red Planet. The helicopter covered 2,310 feet (704 meters) at a max speed of 12 mph (5.5 meters per second). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Imagery has come down from Mars capturing a recent flight in which the rotorcraft flew farther and faster than ever before. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter's black-and-white navigation camera has provided dramatic video of its record-breaking 25th flight, which took place on April 8. Covering a distance of 2,310 feet (704 meters) at a speed of 12 mph (5.5 meters per second), it was the Red Planet rotorcraft's longest and fastest flight to date. (Ingenuity is currently preparing for its 29th flight.) "For our record-breaking flight, Ingenuity's downward-looking navigation camera provided us with a breathtaking sense of what it would feel like gliding 33 feet above the surface of Mars at 12 miles per hour," said Ingenuity team lead Teddy Tzanetos of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The first frame of the video clip begins about one second into the flight. After reaching an altitude of 33 feet (10 meters), the helicopter heads southwest, accelerating to its maximum speed in less than three seconds. The rotorcraft first flies over a group of sand ripples then, about halfway through the video, several rock fields. Finally, relatively flat and featureless terrain appears below, providing a good landing spot. The video of the 161.3-second flight was speeded up approximately five times, reducing it to less than 35 seconds. The navigation camera has been programmed to deactivate whenever the rotorcraft is within 3 feet (1 meter) of the surface. This helps ensure any dust kicked up during takeoff and landing won't interfere with the navigation system as it tracks features on the ground. Ingenuity's flights are autonomous. "Pilots" at JPL plan them and send commands to the Perseverance Mars rover, which then relays those commands to the helicopter. During a flight, onboard sensors - the navigation camera, an inertial measurement unit, and a laser range finder - provide real-time data to Ingenuity's navigation processor and main flight computer, which guide the helicopter in flight. This enables Ingenuity to react to the landscape while carrying out its commands. Mission controllers recently lost communication with Ingenuity after the helicopter entered a low-power state. Now that the rotorcraft is back in contact and getting adequate energy from its solar array to charge its six lithium-ion batteries, the team is looking forward to its next flight on Mars. More About Ingenuity The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was built by JPL, which also manages the project for NASA Headquarters. It is supported by NASA's Science Mission Directorate. NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley and NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, provided significant flight performance analysis and technical assistance during Ingenuity's development. AeroVironment Inc., Qualcomm, and SolAero also provided design assistance and major vehicle components. Lockheed Space designed and manufactured the Mars Helicopter Delivery System. At NASA Headquarters, Dave Lavery is the program executive for the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter. News Media Contact DC Agle Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-393-9011 agle@jpl.nasa.gov Karen Fox / Alana Johnson NASA Headquarters, Washington 301-286-6284 / 202-358-1501 karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alana.r.johnson@nasa.gov 2022-075 Related News Solar System . Engineers Investigating NASA's Voyager 1 Telemetry Data Mars . NASA's InSight Still Hunting Marsquakes as Power Levels Diminish Mars . NASA to Provide Update on InSight Mars Lander Mars . NASA's InSight Records Monster Quake on Mars Mars . Science at Sunrise: Solving the Mystery of Frost Hiding on Mars Mars . NASA's Mars Helicopter Scouts Ridgeline for Perseverance Science Team Mars . NASA's Mars Helicopter Spots Gear That Helped Perseverance Rover Land Solar System . Greenland Ice, Jupiter Moon Share Similar Feature Mars . NASA Extends Exploration for 8 Planetary Science Missions Mars . NASA's Perseverance Rover Captures Video of Solar Eclipse on Mars Explore More Image . Ingenuity Mars Helicopter's Record-Breaking Flight Image . Jezero Crater Image . Juno Skims the Cloud Tops of Jupiter Event Aug. 18, 2022 . Voyager - 45 Years in Space Event July 21, 2022 . Curiosity - A Decade on Mars Event July 21, 2022 . Curiosity - A Decade on Mars Event June 23, 2022 . Spacecraft Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations (ATLO) Event June 23, 2022 . Spacecraft Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations (ATLO) Image . Ascraeus Mons Image . Environmental Plot at Jezero About JPL Who We Are Executive Council Directors Careers Internships The JPL Story JPL Achievements Documentary Series Annual Reports Missions Current Past Future All News All Earth Solar System Stars and Galaxies Subscribe to JPL News Galleries Images Videos Audio Podcasts Apps Visions of the Future Slice of History Robotics at JPL Events Lecture Series Team Competitions Speakers Bureau Calendar Visit Public Tours Virtual Tour Topics JPL Life Solar System Mars Earth Climate Change Exoplanets Stars and Galaxies Robotics More Asteroid Watch NASA's Eyes Visualizations Universe - Internal Newsletter Social Media Get the Latest from JPL [ ] Follow Us JPL is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by Caltech. More from JPL Careers Education Science & Technology Acquisitions JPL Store Careers Education Science & Technology Acquisitions JPL Store Related NASA Sites Basics of Spaceflight Climate Kids Earth / Global Climate Change Exoplanet Exploration Mars Exploration Solar System Exploration Space Place NASA's Eyes Visualization Project Voyager Interstellar Mission NASA Caltech Privacy Image Policy FAQ Feedback Site Managers: Veronica McGregor, Randal Jackson Site Editors: Tony Greicius, Naomi Hartono