Regent Viceroy sea glider completes first manned flight

Regent flew its Viceroy sea glider with people on board for the first time in early September at the company's headquarters on Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. Two captains were on board for the flight, which lasted 30 seconds. The Viceroy travelled 596 meters at an altitude of ten meters above the water.

Regent said the flight marked the first time a ground-effect vehicle developed for commercial and military use at such a scale had been made ready for operations. The company is developing the Viceroy Electric and Viceroy Hybrid variants, each for up to twelve passengers. An autonomous version called Squire and a larger Monarch model for up to 100 passengers are also planned, along with military variants.

The sea gliders combine hydrofoil properties with the ground-effect principle. They operate only over water and use three modes: floating on the hull, foiling on hydrofoils, and flying in ground effect at a maximum altitude of one wingspan above the water. The vehicles start at low speed on the hull, transition to hydrofoils after leaving the harbour area, and then lift off.

Hawaiian Airlines announced an investment in Regent in 2022 with the intention of using the company's ground-effect vehicles for inter-island flights between the Hawaiian Islands. Regent unveiled a full-size model in 2023. The FAA is supporting the certification process, which differs from that of an aircraft.