The next few years promise a unique convergence of NASA aeronautics and space programs. NASA planetary science missions are becoming increasingly more sophisticated. This will ultimately culminate, in part, in the development of planetary aerial vehicles (PAVs). Early work in this area has principally focused on conceptual design of fixed-wing aircraft configurations for Mars exploration. However, autonomous vertical lift vehicles hold considerable potential for supporting planetary science and exploration missions. This paper discusses in a general sense the technical opportunities and challenges in developing autonomous vertical lift PAVs. Through this discussion a vision for using PAVs in planetary exploration is presented.
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