Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and German defense electronics firm HENSOLDT have signed a landmark deal to transfer LiDAR-based Obstacle Avoidance System technology to India. The agreement—formalized at Dubai Airshow 2025—will allow HAL not only to integrate the system on its helicopters but also to manufacture and eventually export the technology.Initial integration will take place on the Light Combat Helicopter before expanding to other HAL-built platforms. The system pairs HENSOLDT’s SferiSense LiDAR head with a digital vision enhancement processor to give aircrews improved awareness of terrain features, obstacles, and hazards, particularly in poor visibility.The move aligns India with global trends in helicopter safety modernization. European fleets such as Germany’s NH90 and Tiger, as well as France’s Tiger and H145M, already rely on LiDAR-assisted synthetic vision. In the US, select Black Hawk and Apache units employ similar solutions for navigating challenging terrain and dust-heavy environments.
