[NASA] Testing Drones for Mars in the Mojave Desert

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NASA/JPL-Caltech

Researchers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory monitor a research drone in this September 2025 photo. This flight occurred in Dumont Dunes, an area of the Mojave Desert, as part of a larger test campaign to develop navigation software that would guide future rotorcraft on Mars. The work was among 25 projects funded by

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this past year to push the limits of future technologies.

Whether it’s new navigation software, slope-scaling robotic scouts, or long-distance gliders, the technology being developed by the Mars Exploration Program envisions a future where robots can explore all on their own — or even help astronauts do their work.

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Text credit: NASA/Andrew Good

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

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