REGENT Craft’s Seaglider™ vessel prototype, Viceroy, has successfully completed its first human-crewed flight, making it the largest-ever all-electric wing-in-ground effect (WIG) craft to fly with people on board, says the company in a press release.
The first flight took place at REGENT’s headquarters on Narragansett Bay, R.I., with a crew of two captains aboard. The Seaglider flew a distance of 1,956 ft (596 m) at a height of 33 ft (10m) above the water for 30 seconds.
“The Viceroy prototype flight test provides critical validation of the innovative technology and marks the start of the program’s final stage of sea trials,” said the company in a press release. “The REGENT team spent the summer increasing the vessel’s hydrofoiling speed in preparation for the flight, part of a comprehensive testing effort throughout 2026 spanning both on-water operations and simulation-based development. These efforts continue to refine vehicle performance, de-risk operations, and accelerate REGENT’s readiness for commercial service and defense applications. REGENT has previously demonstrated flight of its uncrewed Squire Seaglider drone.”
“This is the moment we have been envisioning and tirelessly pursuing for the past five and a half years: REGENT has successfully proven safe, efficient ground-effect flight,” said Billy Thalheimer, co-founder and CEO at REGENT. “The Viceroy Seaglider flight marks the start of a new era in mobility, unlocking opportunities across passenger travel, defense missions, and cargo transport. I’m so grateful to the amazing team who made history today. We’re now moving quickly toward production to deliver Seagliders to coastlines around the world.”
Seaglider vessels are high-speed, hydrofoiling wing-in-ground effect (WIG) craft that combine the speed of an aircraft with the convenience of a boat. The vessel operates in three modes — float, foil, and fly — starting on its hull at low speed, transitioning to hydrofoils once clear of the dock, and then taking flight within one wingspan of the water’s surface.
REGENT reports it has a global order book spanning six continents with multiple years of manufacturing capacity booked. Earlier this year, REGENT announced that The Twenty Five, a luxury coastal travel operator and membership platform, will be its first domestic delivery and U.S. launch partner for Seaglider operations in the Northeast and Southeast U.S., with an order for up to 60 Viceroy Seagliders.
For more information
https://www.regentcraft.com/news/regent-viceroy-seaglider-worlds-first-human-crewed-seaglider-flight