Aero India 2025: Made in Tumakuru chopper wins hearts with its manoeuvres

The light utility helicopter (LUH), developed by the HAL, caught the eyes and attention of spectators at the Aero India 2025 as it demonstrated its capability with a few powerful manoeuvres in the skies over Bengaluru.

The commentators made it a point to mention in Kannada that it is not only indigenously developed but produced on the very Karnataka soil at the PSU’s modern facility in Tumakuru, drawing loud cheers from locals.

The commentators highlighted the LUH’s advanced features and its successful testing in the Himalayas. The indigenous development of aviation such as LUH under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Mission, officials said, would help India scale down its reliance on overseas technologies and products.


According to the HAL product brochure, LUH is a light weight, flexible and crashworthy helicopter designed for sea level and high-altitude operations. It can perform multi-missions including reconnaissance & surveillance, troop transport and other armed roles. Weighing under 2000 kg, the six-seater chopper reaches a maximum cruise speed of 235 km per hour.

The HAL has designed it as a replacement for Cheetah and Chetak helicopters being operated by the Indian armed forces. State-of-the-art technologies and systems are being integrated in the LUH for catering to emerging needs in this class of helicopter, the brochure said.