The Munich-based startup ERC System has introduced Victor, a heavy-lift cargo eVTOL, at the ILA Berlin event.
TL;DR: ERC System introduced its Victor cargo eVTOL at ILA Berlin 2026, designed to carry a 250kg payload, with a range of 300km, aiming for deliveries in 2028 for defense and logistics.
The Munich-based startup ERC System has presented Victor, an uncrewed hybrid-electric cargo eVTOL intended for defense, logistics, and disaster response, during ILA Berlin 2026. The aircraft is capable of transporting a 250kg payload over a distance of 300km at a cruising speed of 250km/h, with initial deliveries planned for 2028.
Victor features a lift-and-cruise design that includes eight lifting propellers for vertical takeoff and a pusher propeller for horizontal flight. A piston engine acts as a range extender alongside the electric powertrain, a decision that ERC’s chief commercial officer, Maximilian Oligschläger, has stated reflects the company's hesitance to "depend on future technologies." This hybrid model sacrifices the simplicity of a fully electric design for greater range, which current battery technology cannot provide alone.
The development of the aircraft builds on flight tests of ERC's Romeo prototype, a 2.7-tonne, 16-meter-wingspan demonstrator that the company claims is the heaviest fully electric aircraft of its kind flown in Europe. Romeo began hover testing near Munich in November 2025, completing approximately ten flights that confirmed its flight-control system and lift-and-cruise setup.
Founded in 2019 in Ottobrunn, near Munich, ERC System was established by Christopher Schrop, Maximilian Oligschläger, and three other co-founders. The company officially launched in July 2024 and is supported by IABG, a German aerospace testing and certification firm serving the Bundeswehr. IABG has contributed what is described as a “significant double-digit-million-euro sum” and remains the only institutional investor in ERC.
ERC claims that Victor's direct operating costs will be around 70% lower than those of a small helicopter, although this assertion has not been independently verified, and no uncrewed eVTOL of this scale has yet been commercially used in Europe, making this comparison uncertain. The aircraft's interior can be adapted for cargo, medical supplies, or specialized equipment, and features rear clamshell doors for efficient loading.
The specifications of Victor—including its 250kg payload, 300km range, and 250km/h cruise speed—have not been demonstrated through flight testing and remain unverified as of the announcement at ILA Berlin. While companies like Quantum Systems have drawn significant investment in the realm of dual-use drones, ERC’s cargo eVTOL is distinct, being heavier and slower than military surveillance drones but targeted for continuous logistical functions.
Additionally, ERC is developing Charlie, a crewed eVTOL aimed at inter-hospital patient transfers, projected for service around 2031 in partnership with German air rescue service DRF Luftrettung. The company views Victor as a potential short-term revenue source while navigating the longer certification process for a piloted aircraft.
The 2028 delivery goal is ambitious for an industry known for repeatedly missing timelines. Since 2023, at least six European eVTOL manufacturers, including Lilium and Volocopter, have entered insolvency. Defense drone startups such as Stark in Berlin have raised billions, yet transitioning from prototype to mass production remains a critical hurdle for the sector.
Currently, ERC lacks revenue, certified aircraft, and publicly announced customer contracts. It competes for defense and logistics clients against established firms with proven operational history, like Dronamics, which holds a European cargo drone license, and military drone manufacturers already active in Ukraine. However, ERC possesses a flying full-scale prototype and a strategic investor with strong connections in the German defense sector, which may prove more advantageous than venture capital in a market increasingly influenced by government contracts.
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The Munich-based startup ERC System has introduced Victor, a heavy-lift cargo eVTOL, at the ILA Berlin event.
ERC System introduced Victor, a hybrid-electric cargo eVTOL designed for uncrewed operation, featuring a payload capacity of 250kg and a range of 300km, during the ILA Berlin 2026 event, with plans for deliveries starting in 2028.