REGENT's Electric Seaglider Aims to Revive Wing-in-Ground-Effect Travel with 2027 Commercial Launch
Why It MattersA maritime-certified electric ground-effect vehicle could open a coastal transport category that sidesteps both airport infrastructure and FAA aircraft rules.
REGENT — Regional Electric Ground Effect Nautical Transport — is developing a fully electric wing-in-ground-effect vehicle called the Seaglider, designed to fly a few feet above the water at speeds up to 180 mph (290 km/h), drawing on the aerodynamic principle behind the Soviet Ekranoplane, which reached nearly 310 mph (500 km/h) before being abandoned. Unlike that predecessor, the Seaglider is fully fly-by-wire with sidestick controls and panoramic displays showing moving maps, electronic charts, synthetic vision, infrared imagery, maritime radar, forward-looking sonar and traffic information. Its current range of about 180 miles (290 km) is expected to grow to nearly 500 miles (800 km) as battery technology improves.
The first production model, the Viceroy, will seat two crew and twelve passengers and is designed to operate from existing docks rather than airports, with customer deliveries targeted for 2027. Brittany Ferries has placed the first commercial order. The craft is classified as a Type A Wing-in-Ground Effect vessel, putting certification under maritime regulators — the International Maritime Organization internationally and the Coast Guard in the United States — rather than the FAA.
REGENT has identified potential markets including Hawaii, the Greek Islands, Europe's North Sea coastal routes, the English Channel crossing and the California corridor between San Diego and Los Angeles, with larger variants carrying around 100 passengers also under study.
