Wild new 'Skyfall' Mars mission would drop 6 scout helicopters onto the Red Planet from the air (video)

A new Mars exploration idea seemingly would drop a hornet's nest of helicopters from high above the Red Planet.

The idea comes from the world of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) concepts here on Earth, but is designed for exploring another world: Mars.

AeroVironment of Arlington, Virginia and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory today debuted "Skyfall," a concept for deploying next-generation Mars helicopters that could help pave the way for human landing on Mars through autonomous aerial exploration.

Half-dozen drones

"Skyfall is designed to deploy six scout helicopters on Mars, where they would explore many of the sites selected by NASA and industry as top candidate landing sites for America's first Martian astronauts," AeroVironment said in a statement.

The "Skyfall Maneuver" would see the half-dozen devices let loose from their entry capsule during its plunge through the Martian atmosphere. Viewed as a cost-cutting concept, Skyfall would eliminate the need for a landing platform, which in the past has been one of the most expensive, complex and risky elements of any Mars mission, states AeroVironment.

After deployment, each helicopter would operate independently. Among their duties would be transmitting high-resolution surface images back to Earth, as well as collecting radar data about what lies beneath the Red Planet's rocky surface. That information is key for safely landing crews at areas on the Martian surface that hold water, ice and other resources.

Building on Ingenuity

The Skyfall scheme builds upon the Ingenuity Mars helicopter program within Jezero Crater. It chalked up 72 flights in just under three years and achieved the first powered flight on another world on April 19, 2021.

In an AeroVironment statement, Skyfall is touted as offering a revolutionary new approach to Mars exploration, one that is faster and more affordable than anything that's come before it.

That's the word from William Pomerantz, head of space ventures at AeroVironment. "With six helicopters, Skyfall offers a low-cost solution that multiplies the range we would cover, the data we would collect, and the scientific research we would conduct – making humanity's first footprints on Mars meaningfully closer," he stated.

AeroVironment has begun internal investments and coordination with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to facilitate a potential 2028 launch of Skyfall.