NASA Tests Special Drones for Martian Expeditions

⚡ KEY TAKEAWAYS

NASA is testing next-generation drone navigation software designed for Mars exploration.
Engineers conducted trials in desert environments that mimic Martian terrain in California.
The effort builds on NASA’s broader push to advance robotic and autonomous space technologies.

NASA has been building technologies to help astronauts better explore space, and is currently testing drones for exploring Mars. The drone testing is part of a test campaign to develop navigation software to guide future rotorcraft on the red planet.

In a press release on 2 December, the space agency said it has funded the development of 25 technologies for Mars this year, one of which is next-generation drone flight software. Engineers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) tested the technology in April and September this year.

NASA Recreates Mars for Testing

NASA has big plans about exploring Mars using spacecraft in the future, and testing drone navigation software is an important part of the process. To ensure that the drone software is optimally prepared for what lies ahead, they used the environments that most resemble the planet – The Death Valley National Park and Mojave Desert.

NASA engineers watching a drone fly during test. Source: NASA

Characterized by barren, featureless desert dunes, these locations which closely resemble the conditions on Mars became the ideal locations for perfecting the navigation software. The project named Extended Robust Aerial Autonomy seeks to prepare the drones to avoid being confused by the dunes on mars as was the case with the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter.

Roland Brockers, a JPL researcher and drone pilot said:

“Ingenuity was designed to fly over well-textured terrain, estimating its motion by looking at visual features on the ground. But eventually it had to cross over blander areas where this became hard. We want future vehicles to be more versatile and not have to worry about flying over challenging areas like these sand dunes.”

The tests have revealed helpful details such as how camera filters help the drones track the ground and how new algorithms can guide them to safely land in cluttered terrain like Mars Hill’s. In the end, the technology being developed by the Mars Exploration Program seeks to empower robots on unsupervised exploration.

NASA engineers working on drone test under a canopy. Source: NASA

NASA’s Space Drone Developments So Far

NASA has engaged in drone and other technologies development for space for some time now, and seems to be pushing the boundaries and entering new territories. The agency a few months ago revealed plans to launch autonomous cargo drones together with the U.S. War Department.

It also tested a Toyota-built moon exploration vehicle known as “Lunar Cruiser” in May in preparation for exploratory adventures. With the current drone testing ongoing, the agency is seriously working towards conquering space with cutting edge technology.