A unique vehicle coming out of Rhode Island is a perfect example of technology mimicking nature.
Squint while watching a video of REGENT's Viceroy seaglider skimming across coastal waters, and you might mistake the passenger carrier for a bird of prey on the prowl for an underwater meal.
REGENT Seagliders: The Path to Human Flight from REGENT Craft on Vimeo.
After years of development that started in 2020, the invention is set to onboard passengers this year as a cleaner alternative to ferries. The big win is an all-electric propulsion system that results in no heat-trapping exhaust, according to REGENT, which stands for regional electric ground effect nautical transport.
"Water transportation is super important, because 40% of the world lives within coastal communities," Billy Thalheimer, co-founder and CEO, said in the clip.
A small prototype was developed to prove that a two-winged, multipropeller electric craft can achieve about 30 feet of lift with enough power to haul a dozen people. Less than three years later, the team unveiled the full-size version, which can travel 180 mph, using existing docks to onboard and exit passengers, all per the company and CNN.
The CNN report notes that the tech includes hydrofoils to provide a smooth, safe ride.
"We are bringing humans on board, and that means safety is our top priority," Ted Lester, vice president of certification, said in the clip.
So far, 600 seagliders have been sold to ferry service providers. The orders have created a $9 billion backlog.
REGENT touts lower fuel and maintenance costs as well as lower taxes. It promotes the seaglider as an alternative to air travel, with no airport security; a zip up the coast is an appealing alternative.
What's more, the inside looks about as luxurious as you can imagine. Modern seats are backed with screens. Wood grain provides decorative interior design. Foldout tables can serve as workstations or refreshment holders, as REGENT shows on its website.
The 15,000-pound craft are built in North America, though the team is working to open another facility in the United Arab Emirates. While the controls are largely automated, it's piloted by a human. A larger model is being planned that can carry up to 100 people and travel up to 500 miles. But better batteries need to be developed to power the craft, per CNN.
"We want to prove to the world that this is possible, specifically that in one vehicle you can float, foil and fly," Thalheimer told the outlet.
Electric ferries are in development elsewhere, as well. A fleet in India was designed to carry up to 100 people on 47 miles of waterways, connecting a network of islands. Those craft travel around 9.2 mph.
Our World in Data reports that "aviation accounts for 2.5% of global [carbon dioxide] emissions. But it has contributed around 4% to global warming to date."
The seaglider and its ilk might be able to alleviate some of that heat-trapping fume burden by providing transportation for cleaner, sub-200-mile business trips and getaways.
"Specifically, the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport is looking to increase connections to more distant emirates … which are many hours away by car today," Thalheimer told CNN. Miami, Key West, and the Bahamas are some familiar places where routes are being established.
"We're actually seeing this kind of model apply to many other island communities around the world," he said in the report.
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