The first controlled flight of Ingenuity Mars helicopter was scheduled on April 19: NASA 0 0 1 minute read Washington DC: NASA is targeting the Eastern Time Zone (EDT) for the first flight of its Ingenuity Mars helicopter, not earlier than Monday (April 19) at around 03:30. NASA said in a press release that data from the first flight would return to Earth in a few hours after autonomous flight. “A Livestream will begin at 6:15 pm EDT, as the helicopter team prepares to receive data downlink Space Flight Operations Facility NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) stated, “If the flight takes place on April 19, the postofflight briefing will be held at 2 pm EDT.