Bengaluru: Marking a milestone in the country’s indigenous aerospace manufacturing, the next generation, multi-role civil helicopter Dhruv NG, billed as an alternative to imported light twin-engine helicopters, made its maiden flight on Tuesday here.

Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu flagged off the HAL-made helicopter and called it a symbol of the country’s capability.

Designed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to meet the requirements of the civil aviation market, the helicopter boasts of modern features in terms of ride quality as well as safety, according to officials. It includes a world-class civil-certified glass cockpit and a modern avionics suite for superior situational awareness, they said.

Dhruv NG, a sophisticated 5.5-tonne, light twin-engine helicopter engineered to master the diverse and demanding requirements of the Indian terrain is specifically upgraded to meet the rigorous demands of the global civil aviation market, they said.

Addressing a gathering after witnessing the inaugural flight, Naidu said the event marked a “very important milestone in Indian aviation history” and congratulated the entire HAL workforce, from designers and engineers to technicians, for the achievement.

He said HAL had long functioned like a bicycle with one dominant wheel—defence—but was now evolving into a balanced organisation riding on two equal wheels– defence and civil aviation.

“This is an especially proud moment for me as the civil aviation minister,” he said, adding that the development reflected India’s growing confidence in indigenous aerospace manufacturing.

He emphasised that the Dhruv-NG was not just a machine but a symbol of India’s capability, confidence and commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).

Naidu recalled inspecting the aircraft at Aero India earlier this year and expressed satisfaction that the long-awaited inaugural flight had been completed within a year.

Before its take-off from HAL here, the minister joined the pilot in the cockpit to gain firsthand insight into the helicopter’s advanced systems and features.

He also termed the handing over of the type certificate by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for the indigenous Shakti engine as a “defining moment” for the civil aviation sector.

Referring to India’s rapid aviation growth, he said the country had become the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market, driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making air travel accessible to the common citizen. However, he said, strengthening indigenous manufacturing remained a key challenge.

“It is estimated that we will add over 1,000 helicopters in the next 10 to 15 years, enabled by the regional connectivity UDAN scheme — Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik — driven by the Prime Minister’s mission to make aviation more inclusive, democratic and impactful,” he added.

HAL officials said Dhruv NG, which represents a milestone in indigenous rotary-wing capability has been designed for enhanced safety, performance, and passenger comfort.

It is equipped with twin “Shakti 1H1C” engines, providing enhanced power ratings and the advantage of internal maintenance capabilities within the country.

In terms of safety and reliability, Dhruv NG incorporates crashworthy seats, self-sealing fuel tanks, and a proven twin-engine configuration for high redundancy.

In terms of ride quality, the officials said that the helicopter has advanced vibration control systems to ensure a smooth ride, tailored for VIP and medical transport.

Listing its features, the officials said maximum take-off weight of the next generation civil helicopter is stated to be 5,500 kg, with a maximum speed of around 285 km/h, range of around 630 km (with a 20 minute reserve), endurance of around three hours and 40 minutes, service ceiling of around 6,000 metres (high-altitude capable), and internal payload of around 1,000 kg.

The Dhruv NG features a highly configurable cabin (7.33 cubic metres) adaptable for various civilian roles. For VIP/VVIP transport, it has luxury furnishings for four to six passengers, with a maximum capacity of 14 passengers.

As for its Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (Air Ambulance) role, the helicopter is equipped with a layout for four stretchers along with a doctor and attendant.

Its specialised roles include offshore operations, law enforcement, and disaster relief (SAR).

The Dhruv Civil NG is stated by HAL as a cost-effective, high-performance alternative to imported light twin-engine helicopters.