HAL’s civilian helicopter Dhruv-NG completes inaugural flight, eyes 80% indigenisation

HAL's Dhruv-NG during its inaugural flight at Bengaluru on Tuesday. (Special Arrangement)

Setting its eyes on the civil aviation sector, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) completed the inaugural flight of the Dhruv New Generation helicopter on Tuesday.

During an event held to mark the feat, HAL received certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for the “indigenous manufacturing of the Shakti civil engine”, paving the way for the certification of the helicopter before its commercial release.

Speaking at a news conference following the event, HAL Chairman and Managing Director D K Sunil said the helicopter could carry 14 passengers and offer various services, such as VIP movement, heli-tourism, and medical ambulances.

Although the helicopter is yet to receive complete certification from the DGCA, Sunil said that HAL had received orders for eight Dhruv-NG helicopters from the state-run Pawan Hans Helicopter Limited. “These will be used to transport men and materials to Bombay High (an oil field run by ONGC off the coast of Maharashtra),” he said.

Over the next two months, HAL will complete around 150 flights in two Dhruv helicopters to complete certification for the whole aircraft,” Sunil said.

To a question on the cost of the aircraft, the HAL CMD replied that the price would be competitive as 65 per cent of the aircraft was indigenously produced.

“There is a current market for 1,000 helicopters. This can help us generate good revenue for a long period of time. Estimates are that there will be a requirement for around 15,000 helicopters in the next 10 years. Once heli-tourism picks up in places like Char Dham, the numbers (of helicopter sales) will pick up,” he said.

To another question, he said that HAL was pushing to indigenise a lot of equipment. While 65 per cent of the current aircraft is indigenous, HAL is looking to achieve 80 per cent indigenisation over the next 10 years, he said, adding that the public sector company was willing to spend more money towards this objective.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, who attended the inaugural event, said the internal design of HAL had changed. While HAL used to focus mostly on the defence sector, it was now looking at civil aviation and defence in equal measure.

Apart from the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, several state governments, BSF, and others have expressed interest in purchasing the aircraft, he added.