REGENT has successfully completed the first crewed flight of its Viceroy seaglider, marking a transition from uncrewed testing to human-crewed operations. The milestone flight occurred on September 2, 2026, in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island.
During the test, the craft flew for 30 seconds at an altitude of 33 feet above the water, covering a distance of 1,956 feet with two crew members on board. The Viceroy is engineered to utilize ground effect to reach speeds of 180 mph. It is currently the largest all-electric wing-in-ground-effect craft to carry passengers.
The design incorporates hydrofoils to provide stability in choppy water and assist with the transition from water-borne operations to flight. Previous development phases focused on hull testing and hydrofoil integration.
This flight follows the company’s recent announcement of a $240 million Series B funding round, which is expected to support ongoing development of the seaglider program. As REGENT scales its maritime transportation technology, this latest evaluation confirms the viability of the Viceroy for piloted operations within the wing-in-ground category.