ERC System has begun flight testing its third-generation electric vertical take-off and landing prototype ‘Romeo’, with the maiden flight completed last November.

At 2,735kg and with a 16m wingspan, Romeo ranks among the largest and heaviest eVTOL aircraft flown in Europe to date. The milestone underpins ERC System’s strategy of flying full-size, full-mass prototypes early in the programme to address the operational realities of heavier platforms.

That development philosophy has been in place since the first full-mass prototype, Echo, flew in 2023. Lessons from the current campaign will shape the company’s first commercially available aircraft, a hybrid-electric design targeting certification in 2031.

“We are excited to have reached this key milestone in our mission to make aerial transportation more economically feasible, especially for critical missions“, says Dr. David Löbl, Co-Founder and CEO, ERC System. “The crewed aircraft we intend to certify in 2031 is hybrid-electric. It takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter but uses wings to cruise efficiently like an airplane”, he adds. “This allows us to operate at a fraction of the cost of helicopters, while reducing transport times significantly compared to less costly, but slower ground-based vehicles. A clear benefit for critical missions, such as in interhospital patient transports.”

Strategic backing has come from DRF Luftrettung, which has entered a partnership to support development for helicopter emergency medical services missions.

Alongside the crewed HEMS focus, ERC System intends to expand into uncrewed aerial logistics, adding a cargo aircraft to its portfolio. The company plans to release further details of the uncrewed product by the second quarter of 2026.