Indian Military Helicopters to Get LiDAR Obstacle Avoidance Systems.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and German sensor company HENSOLDT have signed a significant technology transfer deal to equip Indian military helicopters with state-of-the-art LiDAR-based Obstacle Avoidance Systems (OAS).

The agreement, inked at the Dubai Airshow 2025, goes beyond a simple supply contract. HENSOLDT will also transfer design and manufacturing intellectual property to HAL. This will enable local production, integration, and eventual global export of the system. Initially, the OAS will be installed on HAL’s Light Combat Helicopter, followed by the Advanced Light Helicopter and other platforms.

The system combines HENSOLDT’s SferiSense LiDAR Sensor Head Unit with a DVE Computer to provide pilots with real-time situational awareness, advanced synthetic vision, and superior navigation cues. By reducing the risk of Controlled Flight Into Terrain, the OAS allows operations in “brownout – a temporary decrease in voltage in an electrical power system. It can be unintentional, caused by high demand, severe weather, or system failures, or intentional, used by utility companies to prevent a full blackout during periods of high stress on the grid. Brownouts cause lights to dim and appliances to perform poorly or malfunction without cutting the power completely”, alongwith “whiteout – a weather condition, typically in snowy, windy areas, where a combination of falling snow, wind-blown snow, and clouds causes near-zero visibility, making it impossible to see the horizon or distinguish between the ground and the sky”, and other degraded visual environments, enhancing both safety and mission effectiveness.

Andleeb Shadman, HENSOLDT’s Head of Business Development for India, said the partnership represents a strategic investment in India’s defence industrial ecosystem, supporting Self-Reliant India objectives.

LiDAR-Based Obstacle Avoidance Systems –

LiDAR-based OAS technology is being increasingly deployed across military helicopter fleets worldwide.

In Europe, the German Army integrates LiDAR obstacle avoidance systems on its NH90 and Tiger helicopters, allowing pilots to navigate safely in dense forests, mountainous terrain, and low-visibility conditions.

France’s Eurocopter Tiger [The Tiger HAD is Airbus’ multi-role attack helicopter, designed to perform in complex collaborative environments and high-intensity conflicts. Proven in combat, the Tiger is ideal for armed reconnaissance, air or ground escort, air-to-air combat, ground fire support, destruction, and anti-tank warfare (day or night)], alongwith Airbus H145M fleets similarly use LiDAR-enabled synthetic vision to reduce the risk of Controlled Flight Into Terrain during night operations and training in urban or degraded environments.

The US has adopted comparable systems on select Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks [ and Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopters, primarily for operations in rugged or desert terrain where dust, sand, and low-light conditions can obscure obstacles.

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