On Monday, April 13, 2026, REGENT Defense, an American company based in Rhode Island and part of REGENT Craft (Regional Electric Ground Effect Nautical Transport), announced that it had conducted the first flight of the prototype of the next-generation Squire unmanned seaglider in the USA-V (Unmanned Surface and Aerial Vehicle) class.
Photos: REGENT Defense
REGENT Craft owns the patented seaglider technology, namely GEV-class (Ground-Effect Vehicle) that use the wing-in-ground effect (WIG). The latest Squire was designed for military applications and, for that purpose, was presented to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during his visit to REGENT Defense on February 9 of this year.
“This successful flight milestone is a major success for our defense program and a strong signal of what Seaglider technology can deliver for the warfighter,” said Billy Thalheimer, co-founder and CEO of REGENT. “There are no products in the market today that combine the speed and wave tolerance of Squire at such a compelling price point. This will revolutionize maritime warfare.”
The flight test was conducted on the waters of Narragansett Bay in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. After lifting off from the water, it rose several meters above the surface and accelerated to 70 km/h. The test was monitored from two manned boats.
According to its designers, Squire may offer a wide range of military applications, including logistics in contested environments, medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) in challenging maritime conditions, as well as support for search and rescue (SAR) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions.
Squire is expected to reach a top speed of up to 70 knots (130 km/h), with a planned operational range of more than 185 km (100 nautical miles) and a payload capacity of 22.7 kg (50 lb). Its internal cargo bay is to measure 35 x 30 x 35 cm, with a volume of 0.04 cubic meters.
“Defense customers require platforms that can operate across wide maritime areas with speed, range, and mission flexibility, without relying on traditional and often vulnerable infrastructure,” said Tom Huntley, General Manager of REGENT Defense. “Squire is designed to meet that exact need. This demonstration shows real progress toward delivering a high-speed autonomous capability for missions such as ISR, tailored logistics, and anti-submarine warfare.”
REGENT Craft has developed the commercial, crewed Viceroy electric seaglider, which can transport 12 passengers and 2 crew members over a distance of up to about 160 nautical miles (around 300 km) on current batteries, making it both zero-emission and quiet.
At the same time, REGENT Craft emphasizes that its vehicles do not share the characteristics of classic ground-effect vehicles – heavy jet-powered craft – but that it has succeeded in overcoming the main drawbacks of those earlier designs, such as instability, high fuel consumption, complex aerodynamics, and the lack of practical civilian applications.
REGENT Defense will manufacture its seaglider craft at its headquarters in Quonset, Rhode Island, where a new 255,000-square-foot (approx. 23,000 m²) production facility is scheduled to open this year. The plant will support large-scale manufacturing while also helping to revitalize the American shipbuilding industry and strengthen the domestic industrial base for next-generation maritime systems.
REGENT Craft specializes in the design and manufacture of next-generation ground-effect vehicles known as seagliders – high-speed craft that travel just a few meters above the water’s surface, combining the speed of an aircraft with the range of a boat. REGENT Craft and REGENT Defense have secured global commercial orders worth more than 10 billion USD from leading airline and ferry operators worldwide, as well as contracts worth 15 million USD from the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) and more than 100 million USD in funding from investors, including 8090 Industries, Founders Fund, Japan Airlines, and Lockheed Martin.
Observe our autonomous Seaglider drone, Squire, in action following its successful ground-effect flight demonstration. pic.twitter.com/VNqjTKYogV
— REGENT (@regentcraft) April 16, 2026