India has officially unveiled the new next generation civil helicopter DHRUV-NG during a ceremony held in Bangalore. The event was attended by Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and senior officials of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
DHRUV-NG belongs to the category of light twin-engine helicopters with a maximum take-off weight of 5.5 tonnes.
The aircraft is powered by Indian Shakti 1H1C turboshaft engines, which allow it to reach a speed of up to 285 km/h and carry up to 14 passengers.
Among the main innovations are a fully digital cabin with a glass cockpit corresponding to the AS4 standard, a modern avionics system and improvements to vibration reduction systems aimed at increasing comfort on board.
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Motor Shakti 1H1C was developed as part of a joint project between HAL and companies Safran Helicopter Engines.
Development began between 2002 and 2003 to replace the less powerful Turbomeca TM 333-2B2 engine used in helicopters Dhruv.
The base model Ardiden 1H1, known as Shakti in India, received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification in 2009 and has been produced locally since then.
Designed for both domestic and export markets, the DHRUV-NG is seen as a key element of India’s strategy to develop the civil helicopter sector. During the event, Ram Mohan Naidu said that India needs around 1,000 to 1,500 helicopters, while the country’s current fleet is estimated to be around 300.
According to HAL, the new helicopter is considered one of the major projects to strengthen the nation’s rotary wing industry, contributing to reducing dependence on imported technology and developing local industrial capacity in the aviation sector.
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Source and images: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Content created with AI support and reviewed by the editorial team.
