Regent Seaglider. © Regent Craft
Regent begins sea trials of first passenger-carrying ground-effect electric seaglider.
Regent Craft, a Rhode Island-based company, has unveiled the world’s first full-scale, crewed all-electric seaglider and completed its initial water tests. This milestone validates the technology with people on board, marking a major step in transportation innovation.
The Viceroy seaglider prototype, designed for 12 passengers, measures 55 feet long with a 65-foot wingspan, making it the largest all-electric flying machine. It operates over water in three modes: floating on its hull, gliding on hydrofoils, and flying just above the surface using ground effect.
Regent Seaglider. © Regent Craft
Following maritime tradition, Regent christened the vessel “Paladin” before launching it into Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. Test captains then conducted the first water trials, beginning a series of tests leading up to the first human-crewed flight later this year. These trials follow months of testing key systems, including motors, batteries, electronics, mechanics, and flight control software.
Regent Seaglider. © Regent Craft
“Stepping off the dock and onto the Viceroy seaglider prototype for the first time was surreal” said Mike Klinker, Co-founder and CTO of Regent. “I felt honored to be in the cockpit as she left the dock for the first time and started sea trials. This was the first voyage of a vessel that is destined to transform mobility — the era of seagliders has begun.”
source Regent Craft
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