A prototype wing-in-ground effect (WIG) craft developed by Rhode Island-based Regent Craft has completed its first flight with embarked human crews.
Regent Craft said this makes the prototype, "the largest-ever all-electric WIG craft to fly with people on board."
The first flight took place at Regent's headquarters on Narragansett Bay with a crew of two captains aboard. The prototype flew a distance of 1,956 ft (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, part of a comprehensive testing effort throughout 2026 spanning both on-water operations and simulation-based development.
The craft was designed to be capable of operating in three modes — float, foil, and fly — starting on its hull at low speed, transitioning to hydrofoils once clear of the dock, and then taking flight within one wingspan of the water's surface.
The vessel will be able to fly at speeds up to 160 knots for up to 180 miles (290 kilometres) and seat 12 passengers and two crew. Regent said that, on board, passengers can expect 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 added that its vessels will be crewed by certified mariners and regulated in the US by the US Coast Guard and by maritime authorities in countries around the world. Ten examples of the craft will be built for Brazilian operator Synerjet.
Editor's note: Over the last three decades or so, Baird Maritime has seen several WIG craft involved in fatal accidents.