Cargo drone Victor U250: Rheinmetall, ERC and NRW plan production in North Rhine-Westphalia

The Victor U250 cargo drone, a heavy-lift model, is to be built in NRW in future. To this end, Rheinmetall, ERC System and the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) agreed a strategic partnership during ILA Berlin 2026, which is initially intended to lay the necessary foundations. The state is providing support in examining suitable funding and site options; NRW also intends to coordinate and support the required approval and certification procedures.

Together, the partners aim to build up local supply chains and manufacturing structures and thus accelerate the market launch of the Victor U250. The goal of a successful implementation is to secure relevant cutting-edge technologies in the state and in Germany over the long term. Several hundred jobs are to be created in this context by 2029.

With today's letter of intent, we are laying the foundation for the industrialisation of a forward-looking unmanned aircraft system in Germany. Ultimately, together with ERC and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, we want to scale the heavy-lift cargo drone Victor U250 both technologically and industrially— Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall

What the cargo drone is to deliver

Rheinmetall is an approved aviation organisation, offers solutions related to unmanned aircraft systems and brings these competencies to the cooperation. ERC develops vertical take-off aircraft (eVTOLs) in Germany, currently mostly with hybrid-electric propulsion and intended for critical missions – including military logistics, offshore and coastal operations, disaster relief and the transport of people in the medical field.

The unmanned Victor U250 with hybrid-electric propulsion carries a payload of up to 250 kilograms over a distance of 300 kilometres. It takes off vertically and independently of infrastructure, cruises at around 250 km/h and features a modular payload system. For Maximilian Oligschläger, CCO at ERC, it is clear: “The Victor U250 meets key requirements of current and future logistics and transport tasks for critical missions in defence, civil protection and commercial logistics.”