CSIR-NAL unveils ‘production grade’ Hansa-3 plane

The CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bengaluru, launched a “production version” of the indigenous Hansa-3(NG) trainer aircraft on Saturday (November 29, 2025). Mumbai-registered M/s Pioneer Clean Amps, which will manufacture the two-seater planes, has reportedly commenced manufacturing. It has set up a ₹150 crore facility in Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, to make 100 aircraft annually.

The Hansa-3 has an all-composite airframe (as opposed to purely metal), and is designed to meet the expanding demand for PPL (Private Pilot License) and CPL (Commercial Pilot License) training. First designed and developed by the CSIR-NAL in the early 1990s, the latest iteration of the Hansa-3 has undergone significant upgrades. This April, the NAL signed a deal with Pioneer for manufacturing the planes. 

Science minister Jitendra Singh presided over the inaugural function in Bengaluru to release the production plan on Saturday (November 29, 2025). He said that India would need nearly 30,000 pilots in the next 15–20 years, and Hansa-3(NG) represented a “critical step” towards fulfilling this domestic requirement through fully indigenous technology, reducing dependence on foreign trainer aircraft, and creating new avenues of livelihood and entrepreneurship in aviation.

CSIR-NAL is working on a 19-seater Light Transport Aircraft SARAS Mk 2 for both civilian and military operations. With a pressurised cabin, digital avionics, glass cockpit, autopilot, command-by-wire flight controls, and significant weight and drag reduction, the aircraft would bolster regional connectivity and address India’s indigenous short-haul passenger aircraft requirement, an accompanying press statement noted.

Dr. Singh also inaugurated the Iron Bird Facility for SARAS Mk 2, describing it as a “crucial platform” for full-system integration, ground testing, and validation of major aircraft subsystems. He noted that such facilities significantly reduce flight-testing risks and accelerate development timelines, enabling engineers to identify and resolve design and software issues early. The Minister also inaugurated a dedicated manufacturing facility for High Altitude Platforms (HAPs), India’s initiative to join a select league of nations, developing solar-powered unmanned aircraft capable of flying above 20 km altitude for long-endurance missions.