NASA's martian rover Perseverance is about to give birth to a 4 pound drone from its metal belly.
The $85 million rotocraft, called Ingenuity, could pioneer a new approach to exploring other planets. Though for now just a technological demonstration, the drone is set to conduct up to five test flights this spring. Two cameras on its underside should record to Martian surface from above as it flies.
NASA announced on Wednesday that its helicopter team has picked a location for these flights. The first takeoff could happen as soon as the first week of April. The agency plans to share more details in a press conference on Tuesday.
Credit: Business Insider
Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech
