VIDEO Flying taxi, successfully tested in Munich. What transport missions was it designed for
The eVTOL type aircraft developed by ERC System. Photo: Ehsan Monajati / DPA / Profimedia
ERC System, a Munich-based startup, has completed a test flight for one of Europe's largest electric vertical take-off (eVTOL) aircraft, a 2.7-tonne prototype designed for heavy-lift transport missions such as transferring patients to emergency hospitals.
This eVTOL, named Romeo, with a wingspan of 16 meters and the dimensions of a helicopter, completed its first public demonstration at the end of last week at the Erding military airfield near Munich, Reuters and Agerpres inform.
“We have demonstrated that we can carry 2.7 tons in the air, and therefore later the payload we need,” said the commercial director and co-founder of this start-up, Maximilian Oligschlaeger, during the test.
The prototype can fly with or without a pilot. It includes six seats on board, but this time it flew empty for safety reasons during the test.
ERC System plans to launch this aircraft on the market in 2031, aiming to transport payloads of approximately 500 kg.
Future customers
Despite the financial turmoil in the wider eVTOL (electric Vertical TakeOff and Landing) aircraft sector, ERC System says it is well funded.
The company ERC is a subsidiary of the German technology company IABG, which is also a service provider for the Bundeswehr, which Maximilian Oligschlaeger said has invested a significant amount of more than 10 million euros.
Rescue flight operator DRF Luftrettung, a future customer, supports the development of this flying vehicle and expects the aircraft to reduce costs and travel times for patient transfers between hospitals.
ERC System refused to make statements about how much the aircraft would cost once it is launched on the market.
