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ERC System Romeo (technology demonstrator)

ERC System ems eVTOL technology demonstrator, top view

(Photo credit: ERC System)

Romeo (technology demonstrator)
ERC System GmbH
Ottobrunn, Bayern, Germany
www.erc-system.com

Founded in 2020, ERC System GmbH is based in Ottobrunn, Germany. The company is in the business of designing and manufacturing long-range passenger hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft and long-range heavy-lift hybrid-electric VTOL drones. On July 3, 2024, the company came out of stealth mode. The company was dedicated from day one to make full-scale, flight-proven and mission-led from day one. The company has secured seed funding from IABG, a leading European technology company in the aerospace sector with core competencies in analysis, simulation and testing.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Florian Holzapfel of the Technische Universität München provides ongoing research and development guidance and academic rigour. DRF Luftrettung, a leading German Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) operators, joined the company as an operational partner, bringing real-world mission requirements directly into the development process.

Benefits of eVTOL aircraft to humanity
"eVTOLs are three times faster than ambulances and three times more cost-effective than helicopters," said Dr. David Löbl, CEO, ERC System in 2024. The company has reported that an analysis was completed for both the USA and Europe combined and there are approximately 82 million injured and severely ill individuals each year that need urgent medical transportation. More than fifty percent of EMS helicopter transportation in this market is non-emergency and non-crisis transportation needed for patients to be transferred between two medical facilities and this is the first priority for ERC System.

The company has also stated that a typical EMS helicopter costs in the range of €9-15 million EUR ($9.7-16.2 million USD) as of July 2024. ERC System's aircraft is expected to be about one-third of that cost range. In addition, eVTOL aircraft can take off much faster than a helicopter and are less complex, reducing maintenance and operating costs.

Romeo full-scale eVTOL technology demonstrator aircraft
ERC's Romeo is the name given to the full-scale uncrewed eVTOL technology demonstrator aircraft. The company built two generations of full-scale technology demonstrator aircraft to minimize development risks because as the scale increases, design challenges begin to multiply. The other technology demonstrator is named Echo and has no fuselage. ERC has stated that full-scale technology demonstrators allow company engineers to know how the aircraft will work in the real world concerning propulsion, battery technology, flight physics and flight control.

The company has reported that the Echo technology demonstrator aircraft has made hundreds of tests during the past two years. Echo was successfully used to develop tests and optimize systems for hovering at full-scale and full mass. The Romeo technology demonstrator is currently under development and was presented to the public for the first time on July 3, 2024. It has the same dimensions and weight as the planned "Charlie" eVTOL production aircraft. Romeo's first flight is planned for the end of 2024.

Both technology demonstrators have eight VTOL propellers, eight electric motors and are powered by redundant batteries. For Romeo, the propellers are mounted on the top of two booms that are parallel to the fuselage. The fuselage is made from carbon fiber composite for a high strength to low weight ratio. The cabin volume is 5.2 cubic meters (184 cubic feet) and the rear door opening is 1.4 meters by 1.4 meters (4 feet 7 inches). The aircraft has one high main wing, one high tail boom and has fixed tricycle wheeled landing gear.

ERC System stated that by building two full-scale technology demonstrators, already in a very mature manner, this will ensure a smoother transition to the development of the production aircraft named Charlie.

Some safety features include distributed electric propulsion (DEP) which means the aircraft has multiple propellers and electric motors and therefore, if one or two of these components fail, the remaining propellers and electric motors can still land the aircraft safely. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft providing safety through redundancy. Having multiple redundant systems on any aircraft decreases having any single point of failure.

More information from 2024
Since its foundation, ERC has been collaborating closely with medical experts to tailor Charlie to their requirements. The company is aiming for the eVTOL aircraft to be “safe, low maintenance, user-centric, and cost-effective.” Although no government funding was included with the eResCopter project, ERC is able to have much more transparent and detailed discussions about the German health system and patient transport.

On July 3, 2024, leaders from the partner companies, the involved towns and two members of the Bavarian State Parliament — Bavarian Minister of State for Health, Care and Prevention, Judith Gerlach, and her predecessor, Klaus Holetschek, who is now the CSU Party Chairman — attended the unveiling ceremony. “Projects like the eResCopter system show that we have enormous innovation potential in Bavaria,” Gerlach posted on social media.

ERC has now grown to nearly 100 employees, with flight test of Romeo planned for later this year. Five years of stealthy development have prepared the company to continue measured growth to mature the technology and vision for the future of medical transfer electric aviation.

Early design sketches (Illustration credit: ERC System)

Early design sketches (Illustration credit: ERC System)

Specifications:

  • Aircraft type: Romeo full-scale uncrewed eVTOL technology demonstrator aircraft
  • Piloting: Remote
  • Cruise speed: Unknown
  • Maximum payload weight: 450 kg (990 lb)
  • Propellers: 8 propellers
  • Electric motors: 8 electric motors
  • Power source: Batteries
  • Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
  • Windows: Panoramic wrap around windows allowing forward, left and right visibility for excellent views for the pilot with a solid roof above the passenger compartment
  • Doors: 2 doors for the cockpit and 1 rear gull wing door for the patient entry and exit
  • Wings: 1 high main wing and 2 booms for propellers
  • Tail: 1 high boom tail
  • Landing gear: Fixed tricycle wheeled landing gear
  • Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) means having multiple propellers (or electric ducted fans) and multiple electric motors on an aircraft so if one or more propellers (or electric ducted fans) or some electric motors fail, the other working propellers (or electric ducted fans) and electric motors can safely land the aircraft. DEP provides safety through redundancy for passengers or cargo. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft providing safety through redundancy. Having multiple redundant systems on any aircraft decreases having any single point of failure. The aircraft has no moving surfaces or tilting parts when transitioning from vertical to forward flight and the reverse which increases safety by reducing complexity.

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