Regent Begins Assembling Electric Seaglider Prototype for Crewed Testing

Company in the next few months will assemble the structural components for its flagship Viceroy aircraft, which is expected to begin crewed tests later this year.

Wednesday, October 02, 2024 at 09:54 AM ET

Verified

Regent has already flown a quarter-scale prototype of its flagship Viceroy seaglider, but the company is gearing up to test a full-scale prototype. [Courtesy: Regent Craft]

Key Takeaways:

Regent Craft's full-scale electric seaglider prototype, Viceroy, has begun hardware integration and is cleared for human-crewed tests at sea later this year.
The 12-passenger, zero-emission Viceroy operates by flying 20-30 feet above water in ground effect and is regulated as a maritime vessel by the U.S. Coast Guard, not an aircraft.
Viceroy aims to combine the speed of an aircraft (180 mph) with the low operating cost and functionality of a boat, utilizing existing dock infrastructure.
Regent has already secured over 600 orders for the seaglider from various companies, anticipating its use for coastal transport, cargo, and potentially defense applications.

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BENTONVILLE, Arkansas—The world’s first electric seaglider is gearing up to fly humans for the first time later this year.

On Tuesday here at the 2024 UP.Summit, manufacturer Regent Craft announced that it has begun integrating the hardware and systems on its full-scale electric seaglider prototype, Viceroy. After receiving the all-clear to begin prototype testing from the U.S. Coast Guard last week, the company expects to begin crewed tests at sea before year’s end.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.