Squire WIG field test applying lessons learned to Viceroy WIG protoype

REGENT Craft's Seaglider prototype approaches downed personnel in a raft during a rescue demonstration for the US Marine Corps. (REGENT Craft)

REGENT (Regional Electric Ground Effect Nautical Transport) Craft's demonstration of its Squire seaglider drone is providing lessons for flight testing its manned Viceroy craft, Tom Huntley, general manager and vice-president of REGENT Defense, told Janes on 1 May.

On 13 April, REGENT announced that it had completed the first ground-effect flight of its Squire seaglider drone.

Squire is an autonomous vessel that uses wing-in-ground-effect aerodynamics to travel over water. It can take off from and land on the water's surface and fly below line of sight.

In its defence variant, Squire can reach speeds of up to 160 kt. Huntley said the all-electric commercial version can travel about 200 n miles, while the hybrid-electric defence version can extend that range to 1,400 n miles.

Huntley said the Squire test was the first time REGENT tested its beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) computer system.

“We're now doing autonomy building, so waypoint following followed by actual mission autonomy. We're building that out,” he told Janes.

He added that with the BVLOS system being tested on its float, foil, and flying capabilities, one of the next steps will be participating in a military exercise in the summer where the equipment will be tested with electronic warfare payloads and sensors alongside the US Navy.

Huntley said the US Coast Guard, which serves as REGENT's regulatory authority, has approved testing on both Squire and Viceroy through REGENT's advanced flight testing campaign.