Nasa will send helicopter to Mars to test otherworldly flight
Link to the underlying press release [0] which has slightly more info than the BBC article. There is a bit more background about the project at [1], with some key points being:<p>"The helicopter uses counter-rotating coaxial rotors about 1.1 m in diameter. Its payload will be a high resolution downward-looking camera for navigation, landing, and science surveying of the terrain, and a communication system to relay data to the 2020 Mars rover. The inconsistent Mars magnetic field precludes the use of a compass for navigation, so it would require a solar tracker camera integrated to JPL's visual inertial navigation system. Some additional inputs might include gyros, visual odometry, tilt sensors, altimeter, and hazard detectors. It would use solar panels to recharge its batteries."<p>[0] <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/mars-helicopter-to-fly-on-nasa-s-next-red-planet-rover-mission" rel="nofollow">https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/mars-helicopter-to-fly-on...</a><p>[1] <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Mars_Helicopter_Scout" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Mars_Helicopter_Scout</a>