India has approved its first private Point-in-Space (PinS) Instrument Approach Procedure for helicopter operations, a landmark shift from ground-based navigation to satellite-guided precision approaches. The procedure, developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and cleared by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) , has been implemented at the Undavalli Heliport in Andhra Pradesh. This approval allows helicopters to conduct safe instrument landings at heliports that lack conventional instrument landing systems, improving all-weather access and operational reliability.
What Is the Point-in-Space (PinS) Procedure?
A Point-in-Space (PinS) Instrument Approach Procedure is a satellite-based navigation procedure designed exclusively for helicopters. Unlike fixed-wing aircraft, which use standard instrument landing systems (ILS) that require expensive ground-based equipment at airports, PinS procedures rely entirely on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology to guide helicopters to a precise geographic coordinate near the landing site.
The procedure works in two phases. In the first phase, the pilot flies under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) from an Initial Approach Fix to a designated Point-in-Space, which serves as the Missed Approach Point. In the second phase, the pilot transitions to a visual segment, either proceeding visually or under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) from that point to the actual landing site. If visual contact is not established, the pilot executes a standard missed approach procedure.
This dual-phase structure makes PinS especially valuable for heliports located in challenging terrain, urban environments, or remote areas where installing ground-based navigation aids is either too expensive or physically impossible. The procedure follows the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) , ensuring compliance with global aviation norms.
Why Undavalli Heliport and Why Now?
Undavalli, located in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh near Vijayawada, sits on the southern bank of the Krishna River and is part of the Vijayawada Urban Agglomeration. The heliport serves the Andhra Pradesh capital region of Amaravati, making it a strategically important hub for government and business helicopter movements.
The timing of this approval is significant. It came shortly after the successful completion of the first phase of Char Dham helicopter operations in June 2026, during which over 78,000 pilgrims were transported safely across challenging Himalayan terrain with zero incidents. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu explicitly linked the two developments, noting that the Char Dham operations benefited from upgraded technological infrastructure and that the PinS approval continues the government’s push for technology-driven aviation safety.
The approval also follows closely on the heels of another milestone just a week earlier, when India successfully demonstrated its first indigenous GAGAN-based precision approach by a commercial aircraft. Together, these developments signal a concerted shift toward satellite-based navigation as the backbone of India’s aviation modernisation strategy.
The Technology Behind PinS: GAGAN and Performance-Based Navigation
The PinS procedure is built on two foundational technologies: satellite-based navigation and Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) .
Satellite-based navigation uses GNSS constellations, primarily the US-operated GPS, augmented by regional augmentation systems. India’s indigenous augmentation system is GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation) , jointly developed by ISRO and the AAI. GAGAN became fully operational in 2013 and was certified for Approach with Vertical Guidance (APV-1) operations in 2015 , making India the third country in the world after the US and Japan, and the first in the equatorial region, to have an operational Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) .
GAGAN improves GPS accuracy from about 15 metres to better than 3 metres, providing the integrity and precision needed for aircraft approaches. Its signal covers the Indian Flight Information Region and extends from Africa to Australia. Just weeks before the PinS approval, DGCA successfully conducted India’s first satellite-based landing system approach on a commercial jet aircraft using GAGAN demonstrating the system’s readiness for mainstream aviation.
Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) is the operational framework that enables aircraft to fly precise curved or straight paths using satellite guidance rather than following ground-based radio beacons. PinS is a PBN application specifically tailored for helicopters. It uses Required Navigation Performance (RNP) specifications, typically RNP 0.3 or RNP APCH, which define the accuracy with which the helicopter must stay on its intended flight path.
| Technology | Role in PinS | Key Metric |
|---|---|---|
| GNSS | Provides raw satellite positioning data | Accuracy ~15m (unaided) |
| GAGAN (SBAS) | Augments GPS with correction signals | Accuracy better than 3m |
| PBN/RNP | Defines required navigation performance | RNP 0.3 (0.3 NM accuracy) |
| Visual Segment | Final approach from PinS to landing | Pilot visual reference required |
The combination of these technologies allows PinS procedures to be designed and published for heliports that have never before had instrument approach capability, opening up new possibilities for helicopter operations across India.
The Institutions Behind the Approval
Three key organisations collaborated to make India’s first private PinS procedure a reality.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) is the apex government body responsible for the formulation of national policies and programmes for the development and regulation of civil aviation in India. It oversees both AAI and DGCA and provides the strategic direction for aviation modernisation.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) , constituted by an Act of Parliament and established on 1 April 1995 , is a statutory body and a Miniratna Category-1 public sector enterprise under MoCA. It was formed by merging the erstwhile International Airports Authority of India (established 1972) and the National Airports Authority (established 1986). Headquartered at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi , AAI manages 137 airports across the country and provides Communication, Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) services over 2.8 million square nautical miles of Indian airspace. AAI designed and developed the PinS procedure for Undavalli Heliport.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is the statutory civil aviation regulator of India, with its headquarters opposite Safdarjung Airport in New Delhi. It became a statutory body under the Aircraft (Amendment) Act, 2020. DGCA is responsible for regulation of air transport services, enforcement of civil air regulations, air safety and airworthiness standards, and coordination with ICAO on regulatory matters. It granted the final approval for the PinS procedure after verifying its compliance with safety standards.
The procedure was also designed in accordance with the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) , the UN specialised agency established in 1944 through the Chicago Convention. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada , ICAO sets global standards for aviation safety, security, efficiency and environmental protection across its 193 member states. India is a founding member of ICAO.
What This Means for Helicopter Aviation in India
The approval of the PinS procedure at Undavalli Heliport is expected to have far-reaching consequences for helicopter operations across the country. As a template for future approvals, it creates a regulatory and technical pathway for introducing similar procedures at other heliports.
Enhanced safety in adverse weather. PinS allows helicopters to operate under Instrument Flight Rules in low visibility, fog, rain, and other challenging conditions that would otherwise ground visual-flight-only operations. This is particularly critical for emergency medical services, where every minute counts, and for disaster relief operations in remote areas.
Expanded regional connectivity. India’s UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme has already demonstrated the demand for regional air connectivity. The PinS framework can extend this to helicopter services, enabling operators to serve routes to smaller towns, hill stations, and island territories where building conventional navigation infrastructure is not viable.
Emergency services and disaster response. Helicopters equipped with PinS capability can reliably reach hospitals, disaster sites, and remote locations regardless of weather conditions. This has direct implications for the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) , state emergency services, and medical evacuation networks.
Tourism and pilgrimage. The Char Dham helicopter operations demonstrated the scale of pilgrimage-related helicopter demand in India. With PinS procedures, similar operations can be extended to other religious tourism circuits such as the Vaishno Devi, Amarnath, and Buddhist circuit destinations, with greater safety assurance.
Corporate and government aviation. The Undavalli Heliport itself serves the Amaravati capital region, and similar procedures could be adopted at heliports serving state capitals, industrial corridors, and special economic zones.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated that the government’s priority is the adoption of modern technologies to make helicopter operations more reliable and accessible across the country, and that India is committed to building a “technology-driven and globally benchmarked helicopter ecosystem.”
Key Takeaways
- India approved its first private Point-in-Space (PinS) Instrument Approach Procedure for helicopter operations at Undavalli Heliport in Andhra Pradesh.
- The procedure was developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) .
- PinS uses satellite-based navigation (GNSS) augmented by GAGAN , India’s indigenous Satellite-Based Augmentation System, to guide helicopters without ground-based instrument landing infrastructure.
- GAGAN was jointly developed by ISRO and AAI , became operational in 2013 , and was certified for APV-1 operations in 2015 , making India the third country globally and the first in the equatorial region to have an SBAS.
- The AAI was established on 1 April 1995 as a statutory body under the AAI Act, 1994 , and is headquartered at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, New Delhi.
- The DGCA became a statutory body under the Aircraft (Amendment) Act, 2020 and is headquartered opposite Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi.
- The procedure conforms to the Standards and Recommended Practices of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) , established in 1944 through the Chicago Convention and headquartered in Montreal, Canada.
- The approval is expected to enable safer helicopter operations in emergency medical services, disaster relief, regional connectivity under UDAN , tourism, and pilgrimage routes across India.
