Answer :
Final answer:
NASA's self-flying drones face challenges like Mars' thin atmosphere, requiring design adjustments for effective lift, and the need for autonomous navigation due to communication delays with Earth. Solutions include using longer, faster-spinning blades and advanced navigation algorithms. These advancements are critical for aerial exploration on other planets.
Explanation:
Challenges for Self-Flying Drones on Mars
NASA faced numerous challenges in developing self-flying drones, like the Ingenuity Helicopter, for Mars. Here are two key hurdles:
- Thin Atmosphere: Mars has a much thinner atmosphere (about 1% of Earth's) which means there is less air for the drone's rotors to generate lift. To overcome this, engineers had to design blades that are longer and spin faster than those used in drones on Earth, allowing Ingenuity to achieve the necessary lift in the sparse Martian air.
- Autonomous Navigation: Due to the distance from Earth, real-time communication with a Mars drone is impractical, requiring it to operate autonomously. NASA developed advanced algorithms and onboard sensors to help Ingenuity navigate and make real-time decisions about flight paths, avoiding obstacles without direct control from Earth.
These innovations not only enable drones to explore Mars but also provide insights for future aerial missions on other planets.
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