Six Army Dhruvs along with 18 Air Force Dhruvs were used during rescue operations after the 2013 North India floods . Their compact size , agility , ability to carry up to 16 people to heights of 10,000 feet , and to evacuate stranded people from inaccessible regions was praised . The Dhruv could carry more people from high-altitude helipads than the heavier Mi-17 , and land where the lighter Bell 407 could not . Total flight time during Operation Rahat and Operation Surya Hope was 630 hours , of which 550 hours were dedicated to SAR missions
2013 North India floods
2013 North India floods
HAL Dhruv