AeroVironment, JPL unveil Skyfall Mars helicopter concept for 2028 mission

What is the purpose of AeroVironment and JPL's Skyfall concept? Skyfall is a Mars exploration concept designed to deploy six autonomous helicopters to scout potential landing sites for future human missions and gather scientific data from the Martian surface and subsurface.

How does Skyfall differ from the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter? Unlike Ingenuity, which was a single rotorcraft used for flight demonstrations, Skyfall would involve six helicopters operating independently to collect more data across a wider area using high-resolution imaging and radar.

What is the Skyfall Maneuver? The Skyfall Maneuver is a proposed method for deploying the helicopters from their entry capsule during descent through Mars' atmosphere, allowing them to land autonomously without a traditional landing platform.

ARLINGTON, Va. - AeroVironment Inc., based in Arlington, Va., in collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), has introduced Skyfall, a next-generation Mars exploration concept designed to advance autonomous aerial scouting in support of future human missions to the Red Planet.

The concept envisions deploying six autonomous helicopters to explore potential landing sites for the first crewed mission to Mars. The rotorcraft would transmit high-resolution surface images and sub-surface radar data back to Earth, helping scientists identify areas rich in water, ice, and other resources critical to supporting human exploration.

No platform necessary 

Skyfall incorporates a new technique called the "Skyfall Maneuver," which would release the helicopters from their descent capsule mid-entry, allowing them to fly autonomously to the surface. This would eliminate the need for a dedicated landing platform, one of the most expensive and complex elements of Mars missions.

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"Skyfall offers a revolutionary new approach to Mars exploration that is faster and more affordable than anything that’s come before it," said William Pomerantz, head of space ventures at AeroVironment. "With six helicopters, Skyfall multiplies the range, data collection, and research we can conduct."

The concept builds on the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, also co-developed by AeroVironment and JPL. Ingenuity made 72 flights over three years - far surpassing its initial targets - and demonstrated the feasibility of powered flight on another planet.

Tech transfer

JPL plans to transfer some Ingenuity technologies to AeroVironment for Skyfall, including avionics, flight software, and modeling systems. Trace Stevenson, President of Autonomous Systems at AeroVironment, said the new mission could support both future crewed exploration and planetary science research.

Skyfall is part of the broader AV_Space portfolio, which includes satellite communications, laser data links, and phased array ground systems for command and control. Aiming for a potential 2028 launch, AeroVironment has already begun internal investment and coordination with NASA JPL to meet the upcoming planetary alignment window.