From Rhode Island to the world, America will soon launch the only seagliders on Earth
Published on Oct 02, 2025 at 6:40 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Oct 02, 2025 at 4:35 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Rhode Island-based Regent is set to make America the first country in the world to produce electric seagliders.
If you’re unfamiliar with exactly what a seaglider is, Regent explains that its Viceroy seaglider is a wing-in-ground-effect craft that can hit high speeds both on the water and above it.
Think of it as a sort of cross between a plane and a boat.
Regent has been working away on producing a functional seaglider for some time, and is now set to open up its very first production facility after receiving $10 billion worth of orders.
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Regent is opening a production facility to build seagliders
Regent has said its zero-emission electric seaglider is capable of drastically cutting travel time between coastal destinations.
For example, a trip from Miami to West Palm Beach takes around one-and-a-half hours by road, whereas in the Viceroy you could get there in just 30 minutes.
The Viceroy will be able to hit speeds of up to 180mph (289km/h) and service routes of up to 186 miles (300km) with current battery technology, but Regent says this could be extended with next-generation batteries.
It can carry up to 3,500 pounds of cargo (1,600kg) and up to 12 people per trip.
And, because it’s electric, it’s pretty cheap to run, too.
The Viceroy has already attracted plenty of interest from some big names in aviation, including United Airlines and Japan Airlines.
It has also come to the attention of the US Marine Corps and the US Coast Guard.
This week, Regent announced that it will be opening up its first production facility for seagliders, which is also the first in the world.
The facility, which opens next year, will be based in Rhode Island, where the company is headquartered, and will cover 255,000 square feet (23,690 square meters).
As yet, it’s unclear how many seagliders the facility will be able to produce each year, but will ‘support the delivery of Regent Craft’s global commercial order book of more than $10 billion across six continents’.
The Viceroy seaglider could be arriving sooner than you think
Although the facility hasn’t even opened its doors yet, the Viceroy seaglider could be launching pretty soon.
The company has previously said it will begin its first flight trials in 2025, with customer deliveries slated to start commencing in 2026 to 2027.
South Florida-based UrbanLink Air Mobility has signed a deal for 47 of the seagliders and has said they plan to have them operational in 2027.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
