MODEL AVIATION
MAKES HISTORY
By Rich Hanson, AMA President | richh@modelaircraft.org
ON APRIL 19, 2021, history was made when the first model aircraft took flight from the surface of Mars. Now, some might say it’s slightly pretentious to call this device a model aircraft, but the name of the device says it all: Ingenuity. It was through the ingenuity of AMA member Matt Keennon, project manager for AeroVironment, Inc., and many other members of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) team who have been or are AMA members or were model aircraft enthusiasts in their youth, that this historic event came to fruition.
Matt helped design, test, and build Ingenuity, a roughly 4-pound helicopter that rose to a height of 3 meters (9.8 feet) above the surface of Mars in the early morning hours of April 19. On its first flight, the UAS flew for approximately 30 seconds before descending and returning to the surface. Since then, Ingenuity has flown successfully on four additional flights, each time pushing the limits—going higher, farther, and setting new records. This is the first time a powered aircraft from Earth has flown above the surface of another world.
Designing, building, and testing the helicopter was a group effort, led overall by JPL. In an interview with AMA Staff Writer/Copy Editor Rachelle Haughn on April 15, Matt stated, “It’s a group project model helicopter, basically.” Former AMA member and fellow micro RC aircraft designer, Ben Pipenberg, was the chief designer and design engineer for the Ingenuity project. “He did most of the design and fabrication work. This was his first big professional project. He rose to the challenge and kind of took the lead,” Matt stated. “He led the mechanical team. I led the team overall in electronics and other aspects. The main part of the build was mechanical.” JPL executed all of the avionics, the battery pack, the power systems, flight controls, software, navigation, radio systems, etc.
Ingenuity carries with it a piece of fabric from the wing of the 1903 Wright Flyer, humanity’s first controlled, powered, heavier-than-air aircraft. Ingenuity’s initial takeoff and landing area on Mars has been named Wright Brothers’ Field as a tribute to the Wright brothers’ achievement. The first flight of any kind on a planet beyond Earth was an unpowered balloon flight on Venus by the Soviet Union in 1985.
Learn more about the Ingenuity project in Rachelle’s article, starting on page 26.
Join Us for the Second Annual AMA National Fun Fly!
Join us July 30 through August 1, when AMA hosts its second annual AMA National Fun Fly at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana. Enjoy three full days of fun, good food, camaraderie, and some great model flying. It will be a fun-filled family experience with events and activities.
On Saturday night, AMA and members of the Executive Council will host a dinner and membership meeting, where members can learn everything there is to know about AMA programming, advancements in the hobby, and the latest developments in FAA policy, procedures, and the agency’s efforts to integrate unmanned aircraft into the National Airspace System. The on-site membership meeting will be streamed live on YouTube and our social media channels and will be available for post viewing.
Other family activities will be available at the museum and at locations throughout the facility. Vendors will be on-site for your shopping enjoyment, and there will be a swap meet for buyers and sellers, with tables available for only $25. Open flying will take place all three days at multiple sites throughout the venue.
Don’t miss out. Register online today at www.modelaircraft.org/fun-fly-registration. Sign up by June 30 to receive a free T-shirt and meal. On-site registration will be available up to and throughout the dates of the event. See you there!
Fly safe, fly responsibly, and continue to enjoy this great hobby!
