An unusual electric vehicle has transitioned from sailing to flying with two people on board.
On September 2, REGENT's Viceroy prototype took off above Narragansett Bay in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Two people were on board. The craft flew 596 m for 30 seconds, about 10 m above the water. It was its first crewed flight.
The Viceroy is neither quite an airplane nor simply a boat. At low speed, its hull floats normally. As it accelerates, it rises on submerged wings called hydrofoils. These reduce contact with the water and allow it to gain more speed.
Once it is traveling fast enough, the vehicle leaves the water completely. Its large wings then keep it flying very close to the surface. At this height, the compressed air between the wings and the water increases lift. This phenomenon, known as ground effect, makes it possible to fly with less energy than at a higher altitude.
The journey therefore takes place in three stages: floating, gliding on the hydrofoils, then flying. The vehicle remains exclusively above the water. A computer system automatically controls its stability. According to REGENT, the captain can therefore use controls similar to those of a boat: turning, accelerating or slowing down.
This first flight was deliberately very short. Its main purpose was to verify that a full-size prototype could complete this final stage with people on board. REGENT had already tested the Viceroy on the water. The company had also flown Squire, a smaller uncrewed model.
Viceroy flight test
The version planned for passenger transport is to accommodate 12 passengers and two crew members. REGENT announces a top speed of about 290 km/h and a range of up to 290 km. However, these figures correspond to the specifications planned for the commercial vehicle, not to the performance achieved during this first 596 m flight.
The choice to fly close to the water also requires a very different operating model from that of a conventional airplane. In the United States, REGENT presents the Seaglider as a vessel operated by mariners and placed under the authority of the US Coast Guard. One goal is to connect coastal cities quickly while using existing port infrastructure.
The program is now entering a new phase of sea and flight testing. The prototype will have to accumulate tests much longer than these first 30 seconds. REGENT then plans to scale up production for civilian and military uses.