The Ingenuity Helicopter is a small, autonomous drone developed by NASA to demonstrate powered flight on another planet. It is part of the Mars 2020 mission, which also includes the Perseverance Rover. Launched in July 2020, Ingenuity successfully completed its first flight on April 19, 2021, making it the first aircraft to achieve powered flight on Mars.
Ingenuity is equipped with advanced technology, including a high-resolution camera and sensors to navigate the Martian atmosphere. Its primary goal is to test flight capabilities in the thin Martian air, which is about 1% the density of Earth's atmosphere. The success of Ingenuity could pave the way for future aerial exploration on other planets.