Hanneke Weitering is a writer and editor with AIN covering advanced air mobility and new flight technologies. She became an aviation journalist and joined the AIN team in the summer of 2022 after reporting on spaceflight and astronomy for six years at Space.com. After earning a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, she moved to New York City to pursue a master’s degree in science, health, and environmental reporting at New York University&#039;s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. She is now based in Seattle near Boeing Field and spends her free time exploring nature in the Pacific Northwest.

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Hanneke Weitering

Regent Craft is progressing with hardware and systems integration for the first full-scale prototype of its all-electric Viceroy seaglider, the company announced on October 1 during the UP Summit in Bentonville, Arkansas.&nbsp;The Rhode Island-based manufacturer expects to begin sea trials with people on board later this year, with the first flights to follow in early 2025.&nbsp;
“We’re moving more quickly than any other advanced electric mobility platform to create the world’s first passenger-carrying seaglider,” said Regent co-founder and CEO Billy Thalheimer. “We’ve proven seagliders can successfully float, foil, and fly—the integration phase is a major moment that brings us closer to experiencing float, foil, and fly firsthand. I’m looking forward to getting on board myself.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Viceroy is a wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) craft designed to carry a dozen passengers on regional coastal trips of up to 180 miles, soaring just above the water’s surface at speeds of up to 160 knots. It operates in three modes: floating on its hull near a dock, slowly foiling on hydrofoils, and flying at high speeds within one wingspan of the water’s surface.
Because WIG craft operate exclusively over water, they are classified as maritime vessels and are therefore regulated by the U.S. Coast Guard. In August, the U.S. Coast Guard approved Regent’s navigational safety risk assessment, clearing the company to begin testing its full-scale prototype in Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay and the Rhode Island Sound.

Regent has been developing high-speed, zero-emissions seagliders since 2020, and the company spent the last 18 months testing a quarter-scale prototype. It unveiled a <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/news-article/2024-03-13/regent-unveils-full-scale-mock-viceroy-12-passenger-sea-glider">full-scale mockup of the Viceroy</a> in April 2023. In addition to the Viceroy, Regent is developing a 100-passenger electric seaglider called the <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/news-article/2024-03-13/hawaiian-airlines-agrees-invest-regents-monarch-seaglider">Monarch</a> that it says will offer a range of 350 miles.
To mass-produce its seagliders, Regent plans to open a manufacturing facility in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, with support from the state government. On September 30, Regent announced that the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation had awarded additional incentives to support the company’s expansion in the state. Regent will receive $1 million under the First Wave Closing Fund Act and another $3 million under the Rebuild Rhode Island Tax Credit Act. According to Regent, the 255,000 sq ft factory will create 300 jobs over the next decade.
<h2>Coastal Routes Coming to South Florida</h2>
Prospective operators have signed provisional sales agreements for more than 600 of Regent’s seagliders, and its order book is currently worth about $9 billion, according to Regent.&nbsp;Most recently, on September 26, Regent announced an order from UrbanLink Air Mobility for 27 Viceroy seagliders, which the charter start-up intends to operate commercially in South Florida and Puerto Rico beginning in 2027.
“Our partnership with Regent further advances our mission to bring zero-emission regional travel to the U.S., with a specific focus on the Miami and San Juan markets,” said UrbanLink founder and chairman Ed Wegel.

Earlier this year, UrbanLink placed an order for <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-05-06/urbanlink-plans-south-florida-evtol-network-lilium-order">20 Lilium Jet eVTOL aircraft</a> that it plans to use for commercial air taxi flights connecting locations such as Miami, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and Marco Island. The company also recently <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-06-26/ferrovial-teams-evtol-operator-urbanlink-develop-florida">partnered with Ferrovial Vertiports</a> to develop ground infrastructure for eVTOL aircraft in South Florida, including landing sites and aircraft charging stations.
“This order perfectly complements our previous commitment to electric sea vessels, all of which will seamlessly integrate with our all-electric eVTOL jets, expanding our reach and enhancing connectivity across the regions we serve,” said Wegel. “By embracing these innovative, zero-emission modes of transportation—whether by sea or air—we're not only shaping the future of travel but also taking meaningful steps toward a cleaner, more sustainable environment for generations to come.”
According to Regent, seaglider operations in Miami could serve more than 4 million passengers annually. The company recently conducted a <a href="https://www.regentcraft.com/news/survey-convenience-comfort-and-cost-matter-most-to-travelers">survey</a> of Miami residents in which 88% of respondents said they would be interested in using an electric seaglider for regional travel between coastal destinations.
<h2>Rival Sea Cheetah WIG Vessel Announced</h2>
Meanwhile, on September 30, Florida-based start-up Sea Cheetah Corporation revealed plans for its own WIG model. It announced that France's H3 Dynamics will develop a hydrogen-electric propulsion system for the vessel.
The company did not disclose details about the Sea Cheetah's projected range and payload, but did say it will operate at speeds of 135 knots. Toulouse-based H3 Dynamics will also help its partner to develop a network of "hubs" to produce green hydrogen to fuel the vessel.&nbsp;

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Regent Craft begins hardware and systems integration for the first full-scale prototype of its all-electric Viceroy seaglider.

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