Electric seaglider Viceroy completes first crewed flight in Rhode Island

Regent Craft's Viceroy, an all-electric "seaglider" combining a hull, wing-in-ground effect technology, and hydrofoils, completed its first crewed flight on September 2, 2026, in Rhode Island. The test flight covered 1,956 feet at an altitude of 33 feet over 30 seconds. The aircraft uses a dozen electric motors and a short, wide wing to trap an air cushion for increased lift, a concept previously explored by the Soviet Union. To address WIG craft's historical issues with pitch instability and poor handling in rough waters, the Viceroy employs hydrofoils to raise it above the water at mid-speeds. The maiden flight, controlled by two pilots using a triple-redundant digital fly-by-wire system, aimed to validate the design's fundamentals. The initial test focused on confirming core principles rather than demonstrating long-distance performance.