REGENT's Viceroy seaglider prototype completes a first crewed flight

REGENT Craft said on 2 September 2026 that its seaglider prototype, Viceroy, completed a first human-crewed flight at its headquarters on Narragansett Bay, in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Two captains were aboard. The company said the craft flew 1,956 ft (596 m) at a height of 33 ft (10 m) for 30 seconds, and that this was the largest all-electric wing-in-ground-effect craft to fly with people on board. REGENT said the test starts the final stage of sea trials.

A seaglider is a wing-in-ground-effect craft. REGENT says it operates only over water, in three modes: it floats on its hull, rises onto hydrofoils once clear of the dock, and flies within one wingspan of the surface. Certified mariners would captain it, and in the United States the US Coast Guard would regulate it. For a ferry operator, that is a possible fast electric craft on a short coastal route. This flight was a 30-second prototype test.

REGENT says the Viceroy will be able to fly at speeds up to 180 mph for up to 180 miles, and seat 12 passengers and two crew. gCaptain, 3 September 2026 (opens in a new tab) and The Maritime Executive, 2 September 2026 (opens in a new tab) reported those figures. Baird Maritime, 7 September 2026 (opens in a new tab) reported the same range and the same seating, and a design speed of up to 160 knots. REGENT's Viceroy page (opens in a new tab) states a cruise speed of 160 knots, which it presents as 180 mph, and a range of 160 nautical miles, which it presents as about 180 statute miles. Those labels are not the same measurements, so this account keeps the announcement's up to 180 mph and up to 180 miles.

REGENT said its order book spans six continents, with several years of manufacturing capacity booked. It said The Twenty Five, a luxury coastal travel operator and membership platform, will be its first domestic delivery and US launch partner, with an order for up to 60 Viceroy seagliders for the Northeast and Southeast.