REGENT Craft’s Viceroy Seaglider prototype completed its first human-crewed flight over Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island on 2 September, with two captains on board. The 596-metre test flew about 10 metres above the water for roughly 30 seconds and moved the programme into its final sea-trial phase.
The flight took place at REGENT’s headquarters and test site in North Kingstown, where the full-scale all-electric wing-in-ground-effect craft transitioned from water-borne movement to hydrofoil lift before becoming airborne. REGENT positions Viceroy as a commercial seaglider designed for coastal transport, with a 12-passenger configuration planned.
The test also strengthens the company’s development path toward production and future deliveries. REGENT has targeted late 2027 for initial handovers, while the certification route in the United States remains under way and differs from the process used for conventional aircraft.