NASA Designs New Mars Helicopter Blades for Longer Flights

NASA announced Tuesday that researchers have designed experimental rotorcraft blades that could allow future Mars helicopters to fly farther than any previous mission. The agency said the new blades could increase the single‑flight range from Ingenuity’s 0.7 kilometers to as much as 18.7 kilometers. The design supports the SkyFall mission, slated for launch in 2028.

Ingenuity became the first powered aircraft to operate on another planet, completing a series of short flights that demonstrated the feasibility of rotorcraft on Mars. The new effort builds on that legacy.

A team at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley collaborated with Imperial College London, United Kingdom, and Nagoya University, Japan, to test a new blade cross‑section, or airfoil, named roamx‑0201. Researchers used advanced simulations and algorithms tuned to Mars conditions to create a thinner, asymmetrical shape.

Wind tunnel tests showed that the optimized design boosted aerodynamic performance and improved recovery in risky flight conditions. The roamx‑0201 blades were able to operate longer at higher speeds before experiencing drag divergence, a phenomenon where performance drops suddenly as rotor tips approach the speed of sound on Mars.

The new airfoil also differs from earlier designs by intentionally disrupting the boundary layer at the leading edge, using that disturbance to generate additional lift. This approach reduced the steep performance loss that Ingenuity’s blades suffered at stall, allowing future helicopters to operate safely over a wider range of angles.

The findings were announced in a paper published Sept. 22 in the journal of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The study compared the roamx‑0201 design with Ingenuity’s capacity.

NASA said the technology is not yet ready for a mission, but ongoing work seeks to enable more efficient Mars helicopters that can fly farther, carry more payload, and support new science.