Aviation milestone: Dhruv-NG civilian helicopter completes 1st flight in Bengaluru; chopper has top speed of 285kmph

BENGALURU: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)’s Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv–New Generation (NG) completed its maiden flight in Bengaluru on Tuesday, marking a step in HAL’s push to reposition the Dhruv platform for civil and export markets.Civil aviation minister K Ram Mohan Naidu termed it a milestone for India’s civil aviation manufacturing ecosystem, highlighting closer coordination between manufacturers and regulators to reduce certification timelines. Designed and built by HAL, the 5.5-tonne, twin-engine, multi-role helicopter builds on the existing Dhruv platform, with upgrades focused on safety, performance, ride quality and passenger comfort, while retaining hot-andhigh operational capability suited to Indian conditions.Dhruv-NG is powered by twin indigenous Shakti 1H1C engines — already certified by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) — offering higher power ratings and the advantage of in-country maintenance and support. This improves self-reliance and lowers long-term operating and lifecycle costs, HAL stated.DGCA confirmed it has issued “a type certificate of India’s first civil turbo shaft engine — the Shakti 1H1C”.The engine is developed by AERDC–HAL, Bengaluru, and delivers a maximum continuous shaft power of 568KW. “We’ll be conducting about 130 flights over the next couple of months using two prototypes,” HAL CMD DK Sunil said.