REGENT seaglider hits first maritime benchmark

REGENT, the Boston-based manufacturer of seagliders, which announced plans earlier this summer to develop a seaglider transportation network in Hawaii, has received design certification for its 12-passenger, fully electric seaglider, the Viceroy, which is intended for use in interisland and intraisland passenger and cargo transportation.

The certification milestone called an approval in principle comes from Bureau Veritas Marine &Offshore, a Paris-based global classification society that provides third-party technical assessments and approves new seagoing vessels such as seagliders. The certification establishes the seaglider’s classification as a wing-in-ground effect maritime vessel and clears the path to begin commercial seaglider operations.

The all-electric, no-­emission, propeller-­driven vehicle would take off from sea, fly just the length of a wing over the surface of the ocean and land at docks without touching land. Flights would undergo three stages, starting with floating, picking up speed on its hydrofoil in the harbors and near coastal areas, then taking flight and going up to 180 mph while flying about 10 to 30 feet above the water’s surface.

Billy Thalheimer, REGENT co-founder and CEO, said in a statement, “This certification milestone is an extremely important moment for the seagliders’ design and technical maturity and is a significant step forward to enabling seaglider operations in locations throughout the world, possibly starting in Hawaii. It is the first major outcome of our maritime certification process.”

REGENT has a series of technical studies underway as part of its design appraisals process. REGENT also is pursuing an agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard, which is expected this fall.

REGENT said it has $7 billion in provisional orders for seagliders from ferry and aviation operators, including Mokulele Airlines.