Regent Craft begins testing all-electric seaglider

The US company has unveiled the first prototype of its Viceroy seaglider, a type of aircraft which can float, foil or fly along the surface of water. With a 20 metre wingspan, it's set to be one of the largest all-electric air vehicles ever made.

Crewed testing of the craft’s on-water capabilities officially began this month, with aerial tests set to begin later in 2025. Earlier trials of a 1/4 scale prototype were also run in 2022.

The Viceroy is designed to carry 12 passengers around coastal destinations at high speed, offering an alternative to boats or planes. It can float on its hull like a boat, glide across water using hydrofoils, or fly. It’s 16.75 metres long and has nearly a 20-metre wingspan, which the company claims makes it the largest all-electric aircraft ever made. It’s powered by six electric propellers on each wing, and has a range of approx 333 kilometres. Regent also states it has a cruising speed of nearly 300 kph, and is controlled using a fly-by-wire system.

The seaglider is designed to fly “within ground effect,” which essentially means within one wingspan of the surface of water – rather than at altitude as a plane or eVTOL would. The aircraft can thus use existing docks, reducing the need for new landing infrastructure.

All this means that, like other seagliders, the Viceroy is regulated as a maritime vessel rather than an aircraft and is therefore subject to US Coast Guard rules. As a result, this week the firm also announced it has submitted its Design Basis Agreement (DBA) to the US Coast Guard, marking a step forward in the maritime certification process it has to undergo to be cleared for commercial passenger use.

Billy Thalheimer, CEO of REGENT, said: “This is the first step toward delivering Viceroy seagliders around the world and fulfilling our global order book.” He added: “Today, we’re one step closer to meeting what we have now validated as massive global market demand for seagliders,” referring to what they claim as more than €8.3m preorders from customers. This includes the Florida-based UrbanLink Air Mobility, which ordered 27 of the gliders in September 2024.

In January, the company began construction on a large manufacturing facility in Rhode Island, New York, with production expected to begin in 2026. In February, it also announced a joint venture with the Abu Dhabi-based Strategic Development Fund to bring seaglider capabilities and crew training to the UAE.

regentcraft.com