First liftoff: Ingenuity copter to add aerial dimension to Mars exploration

The helicopter onboard the Perseverance rover aims to add the aerial dimension to Mars exploration, which remains unavailable to date

It was in 1903 when two visionary brothers attempted a daring feat of inventing, building, and flying the world's first successful motor-operated aeroplane. In just over 100 years, the invention pioneered by the Wright brothers —much more advanced, technically superior but elementary in design— is set for another challenge, this time over 208 million km away from home— on Mars.  

The Ingenuity helicopter, strapped to the Perseverance rover, landed on the Red Planet on February 18 with one mission — to test powered flight in the Martian atmosphere and to pave the way for the manned mission of the future.