On April 22, 2021, the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter captured the first color image of the Martian surface when it was just 17 feet (5.2 meters) above the surface and pitching. The image shows a close view of a portion of the tracks the Perseverance Mars rover and Mars surface features, demonstrates the utility of scouting Martian terrain from an aerial perspective.
The winding parallel stains in the surface uncover the tread of the six-wheeled meanderer. Perseverance itself is found in the top center, just out frame. “Wright Brothers Field” is in the vicinity of the helicopter’s shadow, bottom center, with the actual point of departure of the helicopter just below the image.
A portion of the landing pads on two of the helicopter’s four landing legs can be seen on the left and right sides of the image, and a small portion of the horizon can be seen at the upper right and left corners.