All-Electric Viceroy Seaglider, Combining WIG Wings and Hydrofoils, Completes Maiden Flight

An all-electric "seaglider" that combines a floating hull, wing-in-ground effect technology and hydrofoils into a single vehicle has completed its first crewed flight. Regent Craft's Viceroy took off from Narragansett Bay in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, on September 2, 2026.

The Viceroy is officially a wing-in-ground effect, or WIG, maritime vessel. It flies low with a short, wide wing that traps a cushion of air between the aircraft and the surface below, letting it carry a much larger payload than a standard vehicle of the same size.

The Soviet Union invested heavily in WIG craft in the past, hoping to develop sea-skimming missile platforms, but the design proved impractical because such craft tended to suffer from pitch instability and poor handling at low speeds in rough, open water.

To address this, the Viceroy adds hydrofoils that raise the aircraft out of the water at mid-speeds, cutting wave drag and allowing faster running, better manoeuvrability and a smoother takeoff. The aircraft is powered by a dozen electric motors strung along the leading edge of its wing.

During the maiden flight, two pilots flew the Viceroy 1,956 feet (596 metres) at an altitude of 33 feet (10 metres) over 30 seconds, using a triple-redundant digital fly-by-wire system for automatic pitch, roll and altitude control. The goal of the test was to validate the fundamentals of the design.