Ingenuity is designed to be a technology demonstrator by JPL to assess whether this technology can fly safely, and provide better mapping and guidance that would give future mission controllers more information to help with travel routes planning and hazard avoidance, as well as identifying points of interest for the rover.
The helicopter is designed to provide overhead images with approximately ten times the resolution of orbital images, and would display features that may be occluded from the rover cameras.
It is expected that such scouting may enable future rovers to safely drive up to three times as far per sol.

The helicopter uses counter-rotating coaxial rotors about 120 cm (47 in) in diameter.
Its payload is planned to be a high resolution downward-looking camera for navigation, landing, and science surveying of the terrain, and a communication system to relay data to the 2020 Mars rover.
Although it is an aircraft, it is being constructed to spacecraft specifications in order to endure the g-force and vibration during launch.
It also includes radiation-resistant systems capable of operating in the frigid environment of Mars.
The inconsistent Mars magnetic field precludes the use of a compass for navigation, so it is planned to use a solar tracker camera integrated to JPL's visual inertial navigation system.
Some additional inputs include gyros, visual odometry, tilt sensors, altimeter, and hazard detectors.
It is designed to use solar panels to recharge its batteries, which are six Sony Li-ion cells with 35–40 Wh (130–140 kJ) of battery energy capacity (nameplate capacity of 2 Ah).

The main computing engine for Ingenuity uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and uses the Qualcomm flight board distributed by Intrinsyc, with a Linux operating system.
Among other functions, this controls the visual navigation algorithm via a velocity estimate derived from features tracked with a camera.
The Qualcomm processor is connected to two flight-control microcontroller units (MCUs) to perform the needed flight-control functions.

Communications with the rover are through a radio link using low-power Zigbee communication protocol, implemented via 900 MHz SiFlex 02 chipsets mounted in both the rover and helicopter.
The communication system is designed to relay data at 250 kbit/s over distances of up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft).

The helicopter is planned to travel to Mars attached to the underside of the Perseverance rover and to be deployed to the surface between 60 and 90 Martian days (sols) after the landing.
Then, the rover is expected to drive approximately 100 m (330 ft) away for the beginning of the test flight campaign.
Ingenuity is designed to be a technology demonstrator by JPL to assess whether this technology can fly safely, and provide better mapping and guidance that would give future mission controllers more information to help with travel routes planning and hazard avoidance, as well as identifying points of interest for the rover. The helicopter is designed to provide overhead images with approximately ten times the resolution of orbital images, and would display features that may be occluded from the rover cameras. It is expected that such scouting may enable future rovers to safely drive up to three times as far per sol. 
The helicopter uses counter-rotating coaxial rotors about 120 cm (47 in) in diameter. Its payload is planned to be a high resolution downward-looking camera for navigation, landing, and science surveying of the terrain, and a communication system to relay data to the 2020 Mars rover. Although it is an aircraft, it is being constructed to spacecraft specifications in order to endure the g-force and vibration during launch. It also includes radiation-resistant systems capable of operating in the frigid environment of Mars. The inconsistent Mars magnetic field precludes the use of a compass for navigation, so it is planned to use a solar tracker camera integrated to JPL's visual inertial navigation system. Some additional inputs include gyros, visual odometry, tilt sensors, altimeter, and hazard detectors. It is designed to use solar panels to recharge its batteries, which are six Sony Li-ion cells with 35–40 Wh (130–140 kJ) of battery energy capacity (nameplate capacity of 2 Ah). 
The main computing engine for Ingenuity uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and uses the Qualcomm flight board distributed by Intrinsyc, with a Linux operating system. Among other functions, this controls the visual navigation algorithm via a velocity estimate derived from features tracked with a camera. The Qualcomm processor is connected to two flight-control microcontroller units (MCUs) to perform the needed flight-control functions. 
Communications with the rover are through a radio link using low-power Zigbee communication protocol, implemented via 900 MHz SiFlex 02 chipsets mounted in both the rover and helicopter. The communication system is designed to relay data at 250 kbit/s over distances of up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft).
The helicopter is planned to travel to Mars attached to the underside of the Perseverance rover and to be deployed to the surface between 60 and 90 Martian days (sols) after the landing. Then, the rover is expected to drive approximately 100 m (330 ft) away for the beginning of the test flight campaign.
Mars Helicopter Ingenuity