ERC System Echo (technology demonstrator)

(Photo credit: ERC System)

Echo (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.

Echo full-scale uncrewed eVTOL multicopter (technology demonstrator)
The Echo is a full-scale uncrewed eVTOL multicopter technology demonstrator aircraft. The company has been committed from the very beginning to build full-scale technology demonstrators and prototypes for accurate flight testing and data. In 2021, the Echo technology demonstrator began to be built. In 2022, ground testing of the testbed began. The technology demonstrator first flew in 2023. The company stated the Echo was one of the heaviest eVTOL demonstrators flown in continental Europe at the time.

The technology demonstrator has eight fixed VTOL propellers mounted on two parallel booms, has eight electric motors and is powered by electricity via ground based wires. The technology demonstrator has no pusher propeller. The weight of the aircraft was 2,730 kg (6,019 lb). The aircraft had a small square open framed fuselage with fixed skid landing gear.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Uncrewed eVTOL technology demonstrator
• Piloting: Remote control
• Capacity: No passengers or cargo
• Cruise speed: Unknown
• Empty weight: 2,730 kg (6,019 lb)
• Propellers: 8 propellers on two booms
• Electric motors: 8 electric motors
• Power source: Electric via ground based wires
• Fuselage: Open framed fuselage
• Landing gear: Fixed skid landing gear
• Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) uses multiple propellers or electric ducted fans, each powered by electric motors, to increase safety through redundancy. If one or more components fail, the remaining ones can still ensure a safe landing. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft providing safety through redundancy. 

Related Aircraft:

• ERC System Charlie (production model)

Company Insights:

• Airframer
• Crunchbase

Resources:

• ERC System website
• ERC System Instagram
• ERC System LinkedIn
• Article: ERC unveils purpose-designed medevac eVTOL, Aerospace Global News, July 11, 2024
• Article: ERC Emerges from Stealth, Vertiflight, September/October 2024