ERC System Launches Heavy-Lift Cargo Drone “Victor” for Military Resupply and Critical Logistics Missions, Targeting First Deliveries in 2028
June 10th, 2026
• ERC System launches “Victor”, an uncrewed hybrid-electric cargo drone (UAS) for military resupply and critical logistics missions, with the public unveiling of a full-size Victor U250 at ILA 2026 Berlin
• Designed for the target mission of transporting 250 kg of payload over 300 km at a cruise speed of 250 km/h, Victor addresses a capability gap in defense logistics recognized widely across Europe
• The new aircraft combines vertical take-off and landing, high cruise speed, a modular payload handling system, and optimized field deployment capability
• ERC targets first deliveries of series aircraft to military and civil customers in 2028, capitalizing directly on the startup’s prior learnings from flying “Romeo”, the EU’s heaviest flying uncrewed eVTOL to date
BERLIN / MUNICH, GERMANY – ERC System today announced the launch of “Victor”, a dual-use heavy-lift cargo UAS designed for critical missions in fields such as defense, commercial logistics, and disaster response. Presented publicly at ILA Berlin 2026, Victor aims to close a military capability gap through a scalable, deployable solution for infrastructure-independent, uncrewed aerial logistics above 200 kg of payload.
Victor is designed to transport up to 250 kilograms of payload over a distance of 300 kilometers, at a cruise speed of 250 km/h. Its lift-and-cruise architecture – taking off vertically, but using wings for fast forward flight – enables access to sites with limited infrastructure while providing higher speed, longer range, and faster cargo throughput than pure multicopter designs.
“Over the past 18 months, we were repeatedly approached by military and civilian operators and asked to apply our experience from building ‘Romeo’, the EU’s heaviest uncrewed eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing), towards a heavy-lift cargo drone”, said Maximilian Oligschläger, ERC’s Chief Commercial Officer. “We have applied our technical learnings from the ongoing, crewed ‘Charlie’ program and combined them with deep operator insights. The results were quite clear: High payload, long range, fast cruise, and operational flexibility matter most. ‘Victor’ combines these in one platform with a level of versatility that will enable numerous critical mission profiles.”
Military decision-makers from across the continent are currently facing the same challenge: There is no market-available uncrewed platform that can move meaningful payloads over distances and at the speed needed to adequately support forward military units. When ground transport is blocked, and crewed air transport is too risky, there is currently no option. Victor changes that with its ability to move up to two pallets and deliver payload via cargo-drop, eliminating the need to land in undesirable environments.
ERC has set 2028 as the target for first deliveries, a challenging goal only few European companies would be able to achieve. “We are confident about our timeline, given our 6-year experience building some of the heaviest electrified aircraft in the EU,” Oligschläger explained. “Combined with strategic partnerships particularly focused on industrialization, we believe we have the capabilities to help close the gap quickly.”
Beyond defense logistics, ERC sees initial demand for Victor in offshore and coastal logistics, critical infrastructure supply and maintenance, remote industrial operations, and civilian disaster response. The company is working with selected partners in these segments, including some from the existing ‘Charlie’ program, to refine the product and prepare for rapid entry into service.
About Victor
Technical designator: Victor U250
Aircraft type: Uncrewed hybrid-electric heavy-lift cargo UAS
Primary mission focus: Military resupply and critical dual-use logistics
Target design mission: 250 kg payload over 300 km
Target cruise speed: 135 knots / approx. 250 km/h
Aircraft architecture: Lift-and-cruise eVTOL
Wingspan: Approx. 8 m
Payload concept: Modular payload system
Payload handling: Front load and payload drop
Pallet capability: Two ISO-standard palletized payload positions
Powertrain: Hybrid-electric, fuel-based operation
Field deployment: Transportable in a standard 20-foot ISO container
About ERC System
ERC System is a Munich-based aviation startup that develops electrified aviation solutions for the most critical missions. The company’s hybrid-electric aircraft take off vertically like helicopters, but fly forward wing-borne, like airplanes. They provide high speeds, long ranges, and cost-efficient operations for cargo, patient, and passenger transport as well as uncrewed utility applications.
Founded in 2020 by experienced aerospace professionals, ERC currently has approximately 60 employees and is backed by aerospace powerhouse IABG, a leading provider of testing and certification services for aircraft, spacecraft, and defense solutions. The ERC team focuses on heads-down engineering, capital- efficient development, and designing aircraft that fulfill highest customer and regulatory requirements.
ERC’s product portfolio comprises Victor, an uncrewed, hybrid-electric lift-and-cruise eVTOL (UAS) for logistical use cases, and Charlie, a crewed hybrid-electric lift-and-cruise eVTOL optimized for patient and passenger transport.
Contact for press inquiries
Benedikt Albertsen
Email: press@erc-system.com
Mobile: +49 89 608882 66
