A prototype all-electric wing-in-ground effect (WIG) vessel developed by US company Regent Craft has completed its first manned flight, the firm announced.
The Rhode Island-based company said the flight makes the prototype “the largest-ever all-electric WIG craft to fly with people on board.”
Two captains were on board for the test, which took place at Regent’s headquarters on Narragansett Bay. The craft flew 1,956 feet (596 metres) at a height of 33 feet (10 metres) above the water for 30 seconds.
Regent said its team spent the summer increasing the vessel’s hydrofoiling speed in preparation for the flight as part of wider testing that included both on-water operations and simulation work throughout 2026.
The craft is designed to operate in three modes: floating on its hull at low speed, transitioning to hydrofoils once clear of the dock, and then flying within one wingspan of the water’s surface.
It is intended to reach speeds of up to 160 knots over distances of up to 180 miles (290 kilometres) while carrying 12 passengers and two crew. Passengers will have ample legroom, large windows and a quiet ride, “all while traveling faster than a ferry and skipping the delays of airport-style check-in,” the company said.
The vessels will be crewed by certified mariners and regulated in the United States by the US Coast Guard, as well as by maritime authorities in other countries.
Ten of the craft are to be built for Brazilian operator Synerjet at a new factory in Rhode Island.
