Regent’s all-electric Viceroy prototype makes first crewed flight

At Narragansett Bay in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, two pilots lifted Regent Craft’s Viceroy prototype above the water on September 2, 2026. The all-electric “seaglider” covered 1,956 ft (596 m) at an altitude of 33 ft (10 m) during a 30-second first crewed flight, according to New Atlas.

The Viceroy combines three ideas in one vehicle: a floating hull, hydrofoils and wing-in-ground-effect flight. Its short, wide wing flies close to the surface and traps a cushion of air beneath it, increasing lift and allowing a larger payload than a conventional vehicle of the same size. The concept has a difficult history: earlier WIG craft could suffer from pitch instability and poor handling at low speeds in rough, open water.

The hydrofoils are Regent’s answer to that awkward middle phase between leaving the dock and taking off. At mid-speeds, they raise the aircraft out of the water, cutting wave drag while improving maneuverability and stability for a smoother takeoff. Once airborne, a dozen electric motors mounted along the wing’s leading edge provide propulsion.

During the flight, a triple-redundant digital fly-by-wire system automatically controlled pitch, roll and altitude. The initial flight was intended to validate the fundamentals of the design.

So what changes, concretely? Regent Craft’s Viceroy prototype has carried two pilots through a first crewed flight.