REGENT is the developer and manufacturer of Seaglider vessels, high-speed hydrofoiling wing-in-ground effect (WIG) craft that operate within a wingspan of the water’s surface to drastically increase the efficiency and capabilities of maritime transportation. A dual use company based in Rhode Island and founded in late 2020, REGENT has secured global commercial orders valued at more than $10 billion from leading airline and ferry operators around the world, as well as $15 million in contracts with the U.S. Marine Corps. REGENT has raised more than $100 million from investors including Founders Fund, Valor Equity Partners, Mark Cuban, Peter Thiel, Japan Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Lockheed Martin.
REGENT develops and manufactures Seaglider vessels, a new category of maritime vessel designed to combine the speed of an aircraft with the convenience and operating profile of a boat. These vessels are designed for use cases including coastal passenger travel, cargo movement, offshore logistics, defense missions, and other maritime applications.
REGENT is headquartered in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The company also has an office in Washington, D.C., focused on certification and defense.
REGENT was founded by Billy Thalheimer and Mike Klinker, two MIT-trained aerospace engineers with backgrounds in aircraft design, autonomy, flight controls, and next-generation vehicle development.
REGENT has a team of more than 100 experts spanning aerospace, maritime, automotive, engineering, and business development.
REGENT has raised more than $100 million from investors including Founders Fund, Valor Equity Partners, Mark Cuban, Peter Thiel, Japan Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Lockheed Martin.
A Seaglider vessel is a high-speed maritime vehicle that operates in three modes: float, foil, and fly. It combines hydrofoils, advanced control systems, and ground effect flight to travel efficiently over water while remaining within one wingspan of the surface.
A Seaglider operates in three modes:
REGENT’s Viceroy Seaglider is designed to reach speeds of up to 180 mph. The Squire Seaglider drone is designed to reach speeds of up to 80 mph.
Seaglider vessels operate in ground effect, always staying within one wingspan of the surface of the water. This keeps them within the maritime operating environment while delivering high-speed, efficient performance.
REGENT is the first company to successfully develop and operate a vehicle that takes off from controlled hydrofoils. Its Seaglider design combines hydrofoils, blown wing technology, autonomous control systems, and modern sensors to deliver wave tolerance, maneuverability, and operational safety across all phases of operation. REGENT has a robust IP portfolio, with 10 granted and allowed utility patents, four design patents, and more than 40 pending applications worldwide.
REGENT uses highly automated controls and advanced sensors to simplify vessel operation and keep the Seaglider within ground effect, one wingspan above the surface of the water. These systems help manage transitions between float, foil, and flight modes while supporting stable, safe operations.
REGENT first validated Seaglider technology through real-world testing of its quarter-scale Viceroy prototype in 2022, including hydrofoil-to-wing takeoff and wave-tolerant operations. REGENT announced a successful flight of its Squire Seaglider drone in April 2026. Since 2025, the company’s full-scale Viceroy prototype has been undergoing sea trials to validate its control systems, mode transitions, and performance in real-world wave and wind conditions.
REGENT is developing multiple Seaglider platforms, including:
Compared with legacy wing-in-ground craft, Seaglider vessels offer greater wave tolerance, maneuverability, and stability. Compared with seaplanes, they offer smoother operation, stronger maritime compatibility, and a more direct path to maritime certification. Compared with eVTOL aircraft, they offer greater range, higher capacity, less infrastructure dependency, and a streamlined certification pathway.
Seagliders are designed to make transportation between coastal destinations faster, more comfortable, and more efficient. They offer a new option for moving people and goods between coastal hubs while using existing waterfront infrastructure.
REGENT sees a global commercial market opportunity of more than $600 billion. With roughly 40% of the world’s population living in coastal communities, Seagliders are designed to address a significant transportation need.
REGENT has secured global commercial orders valued at more than $10 billion from leading airline and ferry operators across six continents.
Seagliders can support a range of commercial missions, including passenger travel, cargo transport, offshore logistics, and search and rescue operations.
Seagliders are designed to improve the efficiency and experience of coastal transportation. Their all-electric propulsion system can reduce operating and maintenance costs, and their ability to use existing docks lowers infrastructure requirements for launch markets.
The all-electric Viceroy Seaglider is designed to charge in about 45 minutes.
Seagliders are designed to operate using existing dock infrastructure, helping reduce barriers to entry and accelerate service deployment in coastal markets.
Seagliders are designed to offer a smooth, quiet, and comfortable travel experience, with spacious interiors, large windows, and strong wave tolerance. In a global customer survey, four out of five respondents said they would take a Seaglider.
REGENT does not set passenger ticket prices; operators do. What REGENT can say is that Seagliders are designed to significantly reduce operating costs, which could support more affordable pricing for passengers over time.
Example Seaglider route times include:
Yes. REGENT is a dual-use company, developing Seaglider technology for both commercial and defense applications.
REGENT sees a defense market opportunity of more than $50 billion. Seagliders are designed to address growing needs in maritime mobility, logistics, and mission support across contested and distributed operating environments.
REGENT is a trusted partner of the U.S. Marine Corps and has announced expanded collaboration with the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab. The company has also formalized development relationships with U.S. Special Operations Command and the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center.
Seagliders are designed to combine the speed of aviation with the flexibility of maritime operations. They offer long range, high speed, low-signature operation, and the ability to operate in littoral environments where traditional resupply and transport can be difficult.
Seagliders fly in ground effect, within a wingspan of the surface of the water, above sonar and below long-range radar, making them a low-signal platform for a range of defense missions. Their high-speed, long-range performance can help address the “tyranny of distance” that often challenges operations across large maritime areas.
REGENT Defense is developing a family of Seaglider vessels, including defense versions of the Viceroy platform, autonomous configurations, hybrid variants, and the Squire Seaglider drone, an unmanned surface and aerial vehicle.
Seagliders are designed to support a range of defense missions, including contested logistics, medical evacuation, search and rescue, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and launched effects.
REGENT is in discussions with allied defense forces around the world and sees Seagliders as a coalition asset that can support interoperability and resilient logistics.
REGENT is scaling into production at a new 255,000-square-foot Seaglider manufacturing facility at Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
The facility is designed to support component manufacturing, final assembly, and pre-delivery testing for the Viceroy and Squire Seaglider vessels.
The Quonset Seaglider manufacturing facility is expected to come online summer 2026.
REGENT expects its first Seaglider deliveries in late 2027.
Rhode Island provides REGENT with the opportunity to scale advanced maritime manufacturing in a state with strong ocean, industrial, and workforce connections. The facility also reinforces REGENT’s role in strengthening America’s shipbuilding and industrial base.
Yes. REGENT signed an initial agreement in 2025 with Strategic Development Fund to bring manufacturing and aftermarket services to the UAE. The company is also working with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office to support manufacturing capabilities in the region.
Seagliders will be regulated as maritime vessels and will comply with national and international maritime safety standards. REGENT Seagliders are Type A wing-in-ground craft because they remain in ground effect during operation.
In the U.S., the U.S. Coast Guard oversees the certification process for Seagliders as 46 C.F.R. Subchapter T maritime small passenger vessels.
REGENT is advancing parallel certification pathways. In the United States, the company is working with the U.S. Coast Guard. Internationally, REGENT is partnering with Lloyd’s Register to support Seaglider certification in flag states around the world.
The U.S. Coast Guard is the primary regulator of Seaglider vessels. The Coast Guard and FAA are developing a memorandum of understanding that would allow the FAA to provide technical expertise in support of the maritime certification pathway for wing-in-ground craft including Seaglider vessels.
The maritime certification pathway helps provide a clear, robust regulatory framework under a single set of rules, supporting both passenger safety and vessel safety while avoiding duplication across agencies.
Safety is central to everything REGENT does, from design and engineering to controls, battery monitoring, and operations. The company draws expertise from maritime, aviation, automotive, and space to develop a safe and dependable operating platform.
Seagliders will be operated by maritime captains who receive a Seaglider-specific type rating.
REGENT is developing a six-week captain training program that combines online coursework, classroom instruction, simulation, and in-vessel training.