REGENT Craft, the innovative company behind the all-electric seaglider, continues to make significant strides in revolutionising both commercial and military transportation. The seaglider, designed to operate above the water’s surface using cutting-edge technology, promises a future of speed, efficiency, and zero emissions in coastal transport. As the company expands globally, key partnerships in New Zealand, the UAE, and with the U.S. Marine Corps illustrate REGENT’s growing influence in the world of sustainable transportation and defense logistics.
Ocean Flyer’s groundbreaking investment in New Zealand
In April 2022, New Zealand’s Ocean Flyer made history by signing a $700 million agreement with REGENT to introduce 25 seagliders to the country. Ocean Flyer, the world’s first company exclusively focused on seagliders, aims to provide a sustainable, fully electric, and efficient mode of mass public transport. The agreement will see the introduction of the all-electric seaglider, which is expected to revolutionise coastal transportation in New Zealand by offering a fast, affordable, and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional ferry services. This significant investment highlights the growing interest in sustainable solutions and is poised to reshape the future of public transport along New Zealand’s coastlines.
UAE expansion, strategic development for global reach
REGENT’s global expansion is not limited to the Southern Hemisphere. In February 2025, the company entered into a partnership with the UAE’s Strategic Development Fund to create a joint venture based in Abu Dhabi. This new venture will focus on the manufacture and service of REGENT’s seagliders for both military and commercial markets across the Middle East, Africa, and beyond. The UAE facility will complement REGENT’s Rhode Island production facility, which is set to begin operations in 2026. This expansion is a crucial step for REGENT as it positions itself as a leader in the global seagliding industry, bringing cutting-edge, sustainable transportation to new regions and broadening its market reach.
The U.S. Marine Corps Partnership, advancing military capabilities
While REGENT’s commercial ventures are noteworthy, its collaboration with the U.S. Marine Corps has garnered significant attention in the defense sector. In late 2023, REGENT entered into a $4.75 million agreement with the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Lab (MCWL) to demonstrate its Viceroy seaglider’s potential for military logistics operations. This marked the beginning of an exciting new phase for the Viceroy, which is a 12-passenger, fully electric vehicle designed to operate exclusively over water, with the ability to float, hydrofoil, or fly in ground effect. The Viceroy’s ground effect mode allows it to fly just above the water’s surface, achieving higher speeds and better efficiency than traditional ships or aircraft.
In early 2025, REGENT secured a further $10 million contract with the U.S. Marine Corps, doubling the initial investment to expand the seaglider’s capabilities for defense operations. This funding will support the continued development of the Viceroy for use in contested logistics, medevac (medical evacuation), and casevac (casualty evacuation) missions. With a top speed of 180 mp/h (289 km/h) and a range of 180 miles (290 km), the Viceroy can take off and land on water, eliminating the need for potentially vulnerable runway infrastructure. Its low radar and infrared signature make it a highly stealthy vehicle, offering significant advantages for covert military operations.
Dayum, is it me or does nearly a billion dollars for 25 vessels seem expensive especially given the smallest is only 12 seats.
While the Regent Viceroy is an impressive innovation in coastal mobility, it is important to clarify a common misconception: the Seaglider is not a true ground effect vehicle (GEV). Ground effect refers to the aerodynamic phenomenon where an aircraft flying in close proximity to a surface—typically the water—experiences increased lift and reduced drag due to the compression of air between the wing and the surface.
For this effect to be optimized, the vehicle must remain within a specific altitude above the surface—typically no more than 30% to max. 50% of the wing chord (the front-to-back distance of the wing). This narrow margin defines true ground effect flight. In contrast, the Seaglider transitions from hydrofoil takeoff into free flight well above the ground effect zone, making it more accurately a conventional electric aircraft with sea-based operations, rather than a GEV in the traditional sense.