REGENT, a US company developing all-electric seagliders, has signed an agreement with Germany’s ferry operator FRS to add REGENT seagliders to the latter’s fleet.
As informed, the partnership between REGENT and FRS is for the building and operating of two seaglider types: the Viceroys, each holding up to 12 passengers or critical cargo up to 3,500 lbs in 746 cubic feet, and the Monarchs, which can hold up to 100 passengers.
Seagliders provide harbor-to-harbor, over-water transportation at a fraction of the cost, noise, and emissions of existing regional transportation modes such as ferries and aircraft.
The Flensburg-based company FRS will focus on the initial seaglider service in its domestic and international operations.
“We’re excited to be partnering with FRS to provide cost-effective, zero-emission passenger travel and cargo solutions ,” Billy Thalheimer , CEO of REGENT, commented.
“REGENT’s seagliders fit perfectly to our product range in many of our worldwide operations,” according to Moritz Bruns , Director Business & Corporate Development of FRS.
“The strategic partnership with REGENT enables us to further expand our route network and offer our clients new … travel possibilities and experiences around the globe.”
The REGENT seaglider is an all-electric wing-in-ground effect vehicle, meaning it flies low (within one wingspan) over the water to take advantage of numerous aerodynamic and operational efficiencies, enabling increased payload capability and greater range than other electric aircraft concepts.
The seaglider operates in three modes. From the dock, the vehicle first drives on its hull like a traditional boat. As it leaves the harbor area and speeds up, it rises on its retractable hydrofoil , which offers significant wave tolerance and a smooth ride as it leaves a crowded harbor. Upon reaching open water, the vehicle transitions onto its wing, retracting the foil and accelerating up to cruise speed—all while staying within a wingspan of the water’s surface. Driving a seaglider is enabled by coupling advanced digital flight software with simple boat controls.
In September 2022, REGENT’s electric seaglider became the first-ever vehicle to successfully utilize three modes of maritime operation—floating, foiling and flying— marking a major step forward in maritime transportation.
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Earlier this week, REGENT also partnered up with French multi-energy company TotalEnergies to explore the use of REGENT’s all-electric seaglider for maritime travel to offshore wind and oil platforms. The collaboration will comprise information exchange, active requirements development, and use-case validation.
The partners will identify global offshore energy sites and pilot the REGENT seaglider along a route to a selected platform. Following the initial pilot, REGENT and TotalEnergies will explore new routes and conduct additional pilots to drive forward longer-term cooperation opportunities.