ERC System has begun flight testing its third-generation, full-scale and full-mass eVTOL prototype “Romeo,” in Erding near Munich. The flight test campaign supports the development of a hybrid-electric, crewed aircraft optimized for critical missions, including interhospital patient transport and emergency medical services. For DRF Luftrettung, a strategic partner of ERC System, this milestone is more than just a technical success—it is a significant step forward for future airborne patient care.

Weighing 2735 kgs and sporting a 16m wingspan, the aircraft is among the largest and heaviest eVTOL aircraft flown in Europe so far. Dr. Krystian Pracz, CEO of DRF Luftrettung states: ”The prototype’s successful maiden flight represents the transition from concept to practical testing. As a key strategic partner of ERC System, DRF Luftrettung is contributing medical, technical, and flight operations expertise from over five decades of air rescue experience. Together, we are developing an additional option for patient transport and emergency medical services. Current trends in healthcare – the reduction and specialization of clinics, longer distances, and an increasing shortage of skilled workers – require new solutions. That is why we are convinced that the ERC aircraft will have a permanent place in our fleet in the 2030s – as a useful addition to established air rescue with rescue helicopters.”

eVTOLs can prospectively demonstrate their value in interhospital transport, where patients need to be moved from one hospital to another. They also offer significant potential for postprimary transport—particularly for timecritical transfers following initial treatment, in cases where an emergency physician or advanced medical care is not required during the flight.

ERC System’s eVTOL prototype “Romeo” takes off for the first time in Erding near Munich. (Source: ERC System)

“We are excited to have reached this key milestone in our mission to make aerial transportation more economically feasible, especially for critical missions“, said Dr. David Löbl, Co-Founder and CEO. “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”, Löbl continued.