REGENT submits design basis agreement to U.S. Coast Guard, advancing seaglider certification

REGENT Craft has submitted its Design Basis Agreement for the 12-passenger Viceroy seaglider to the U.S. Coast Guard, advancing its maritime certification process for seagliders, novel high-speed, all-electric vessels that operate exclusively over the water to connect coastal destinations. The DBA establishes what the innovative Viceroy seaglider design must do to show an equivalent level of safety to other similarly sized certified vessels and consists of a concept synopsis, regulatory analysis, and risk/hazard analysis. The submission follows months of collaboration between REGENT and the U.S. Coast Guard to mature the contents of the DBA and ensure the Viceroy design meets or exceeds required regulatory safety standards. Approval of the DBA by the U.S. Coast Guard is expected mid-year.

“Safety is paramount to everything we do at REGENT,” said Ted Lester, VP of Certification at REGENT. “The formal submission of the DBA is a result of a rigorous design process according to regulations and industry standards along with our commitment to attention to detail around regulatory compliance and ensuring the safety of seaglider passengers, crew, and vessel.”

Seagliders are Type A Wing-In Ground Effect craft, designed to always operate within ground effect, a phenomenon that occurs within one wingspan of the surface of the water and provides significant aerodynamic efficiency. This means seagliders are regulated as maritime vessels, in line with guidelines established by the International Maritime Organization and ICAO, as well as U.S. laws.

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, and in non-U.S. markets, REGENT is partnering with esteemed classification society Lloyd’s Register to certificate vessels for other flag state jurisdictions.

With the submission of REGENT’s DBA, the company advances to the formal design stage where final designs can be developed for approval. Following approval of the DBA, the next stage will involve U.S. Coast Guard approval of final designs and inspection of the vessel during construction to ensure it aligns with the approved design, and finally collaboration with local operators on crew training and local requirements. This process results in a “Certificate of Inspection” that clears the seaglider for commercial passenger operations.

Ed Wegel, Founder and Chairman of UrbanLink Air Mobility commented: “REGENT’s advancement through the rigorous maritime certification process in the U.S. gives me confidence that seaglider certification is on track and will ensure top levels of safety. This process also has the added benefit of being highly efficient, enabling us to start seaglider operations on an accelerated timeline.”

Earlier this month REGENT began sea trials of its full-scale Viceroy prototype in Narragansett Bay, RI. The U.S. Coast Guard has approved REGENT's Navigational Safety Risk Assessment for the prototype, which allows REGENT to test with humans on board in Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound. REGENT also recently broke ground on a manufacturing facility in the Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown, RI, which will come online in 2026 and house seaglider component manufacturing, vehicle final assembly, and pre-delivery testing for the Viceroy seaglider. The company also announced plans to establish seaglider manufacturing and services in the UAE. These steps will allow REGENT to fulfill its global backlog of orders valued at more than $9 billion across six continents.