India has achieved a major milestone in its aviation sector with the approval of the country’s first Private Point-in-Space (PinS) Instrument Approach Procedure for helicopter operations at the Undavalli Heliport in Andhra Pradesh, marking a significant step towards safer and more reliable all-weather helicopter connectivity.
The procedure, developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has been designed in accordance with DGCA regulations and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices.
PinS (Point-in-Space) procedures use advanced satellite-based navigation technology to enable helicopters to carry out safe and precise instrument approaches to heliports that lack conventional instrument landing infrastructure. The technology is particularly beneficial during adverse weather conditions and in areas where ground-based navigation aids are unavailable.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu described the approval as the beginning of a new era for helicopter operations in India, saying it would significantly improve flight safety, operational efficiency and all-weather accessibility.
“The introduction of India’s first PinS Instrument Approach Procedure marks the beginning of a new era in helicopter operations by significantly enhancing flight safety, operational efficiency and all-weather accessibility. I sincerely appreciate the coordinated efforts of all concerned agencies including the Airports Authority of India, DGCA and the state government of Andhra Pradesh in achieving this historic milestone,” the minister said.
He added that the government’s priority is to adopt modern technologies to make helicopter operations more reliable and accessible across the country.
“Our foremost priority is the adoption of modern technologies to make helicopter operations more reliable and more accessible across the country. We also recently concluded the first phase of this year’s Char Dham helicopter operations successfully without any incident supported by upgraded technological infrastructure. Our commitment is to build a technology-driven and globally benchmarked helicopter ecosystem in India,” Naidu said.
Highlighting the broader significance of the initiative, the minister said the approval aligns with the government’s efforts to modernise India’s aviation infrastructure through advanced satellite-based navigation systems.
“Under the technology-driven leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, India’s aviation sector is witnessing rapid technological advancement. Just last week, we successfully demonstrated the country’s first indigenous GAGAN-based precision approach by a commercial aircraft. The introduction of the country’s first PinS Instrument Approach Procedure is another major milestone in this journey. It reinforces the Government’s vision of modernising aviation infrastructure through Performance-Based Navigation (PBN), expanding the use of indigenous satellite-based navigation technologies and aligning India’s aviation ecosystem with global best practices,” he said.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said the approval is expected to pave the way for similar PinS procedures across the country, benefiting emergency medical services, disaster relief operations, tourism, offshore activities, pilgrimage services, corporate aviation and regional connectivity.
The new procedure will enable safer Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations to remote and strategically important locations, improve operational reliability and minimise weather-related disruptions.
The ministry congratulated the teams from DGCA, AAI and other stakeholders involved in the project, stating that the achievement reflects India’s commitment to adopting global best practices, strengthening helicopter connectivity and enhancing aviation safety through modern satellite-based navigation technologies.
