| Dhruv | |
|---|---|
 Dhruv Mk.I with the Sarang display team | |
| General information | |
| Type | Utility helicopter |
| National origin | India |
| Manufacturer | Hindustan Aeronautics Limited |
| Designer | Rotary Wing Research and Design Center[1] |
| Status | In service |
| Primary users | Indian Army |
| Number built | 400+ (January 2024)[2] |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1992–present |
| Introduction date | March 2002[3] |
| First flight | 20 August 1992[4] |
| Variants | HAL Rudra |
| Developed into | HAL Prachand HAL Light Utility Helicopter |
The HAL Dhruv is a utility helicopter designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in November 1984. The helicopter first flew in 1992; its development was prolonged due to multiple factors including the Indian Army's requirement for design changes, budget restrictions, and sanctions placed on India following the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests. The name comes from a Sanskrit origin word dhruv which means unshakeable or firm.[5]
Dhruv entered service in 2002. It is designed to meet the requirement of both military and civil operators, with military variants of the helicopter being developed for the Indian Armed Forces, while a variant for civilian/commercial use has also been developed. Military versions in production include transport, utility, reconnaissance and medical evacuation variants.
As of January 2024, more than 400 Dhruvs had been produced for domestic and export markets logging more than 340,000 flying hours.[2][6]
- ^ "Rotary Wing". Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Archived from the original on 9 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
- ^ a b Philip, Snehesh Alex (22 October 2022). "Over 400 indigenous Dhruv and its variant helicopters built since 2002, but at least 23 crashed". The Print. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ Jackson, Paul; Munson, Kenneth; Peacock, Lindsay (2004). Jane's All the World's Aircraft (95th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's. ISBN 0-71062614-2.
- ^ "Equipment: Dhruv". Indian Army. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ "Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary - ध". sanskrit.inria.fr. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
- ^ Thapar, Vishal (19 January 2022). "HAL Signs Contract For Export Of Dhruv Helicopter To Mauritius". Business Standard. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.