NASA had released pictures of their mini helicopter Ingenuity’s Mars touchdown and preparation for first flight. This light aircraft had been attached to the Perseverance rover which landed on Mars on 18th February and moved some distance.
Ingenuity which used the battery power or Perseverance now will have to use its own battery charge as it is now detached from the rover. A heater is also incorporated to make the components of the mini helicopter warm during the cold hours. This technology had successfully kept the batteries warm and had survived the Martian Nights on its own.
Ahead of its first flight, the Ingenuity team will have to make sure that the solar panels attached to the aircraft works properly and recharge the batteries. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory expects that Ingenuity will make its first flight on 11th April.
NASA are waiting for the photographs taken by Ingenuity which will be of high resolution. They expect the aircraft can capture more unseen visuals than the rover took.
Source: mars.nasa.gov