How the Mars helicopter will bring humans back to Earth Flying a drone on Mars will bring the planet closer to home. First, it's about getting off the ground, then bringing rocks back, and, eventually, people. Earth's first-ever helicopter on Mars, Ingenuity, is a first step to humans on Mars As with the first human moon landing in 1969, NASA's Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, is both a small step and a giant leap. Although perhaps that should read "short flight, giant journey" or some other revision of Neil Armstrong's famous words. Either way — and do or die — Ingenuity is a first step towards astronauts traveling to Mars and eventually coming back to Earth.