David Eržen received B.Sc. and M.Sc. in physics and electronics from the University of Ljubljana in 2000 and 2004, respectively. After a first experience of 3 years as Research assistant at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (University of Ljubljana), he joined the Flight Physics department team at Pipistrel Vertical Solutions. He has more than 12 years of experience in multidisciplinary aerodynamic and aircraft conceptual design, specializing in propeller design and development. He has been involved in the conceptual and preliminary design of Pipistrel’s four-seat general aviation airplane Panthera and was a technical project manager for World’s largest single contract light aircraft procurement. Currently, he is leading an aerodynamic propulsion design of the Nuuva V300 cargo drone program.

He participated in four successfully finished EU projects (FORTISSIMO, RBF4AERO, MIKELANGELO and MAHEPA) and is a project coordinator of one ongoing EU project (UNIFIER19), where the primary objective is to develop a conceptual design of a zero-emission, 19-seater commuter aircraft with a liquid hydrogen propulsion system.