Latest news with #BillyThalheimer
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Marine Corps bets on electric seagliders 'invisible' to enemy radar for medevac missions at sea
Regent's all-electric boat-plane hybrid project got a major boost from the government this week. The Marine Corps Warfighting Lab extended its collaboration with Regent with an estimated $10 million contract on Wednesday, following the successful completion of a $4.75 million contract. This new phase of testing will focus on examining its seaglider's capabilities on medical evacuation missions. For CEO Billy Thalheimer, a new era of global conflict centered on the Indo-Pacific represents a "reversion to World War II-style tactics," and the needs of the Pentagon will be once again focused on maritime operations instead of desert warfare like the war on terror in the Middle East. No Signal, No Problem: Intelligence Firm Debuts Drone Tech Equipped To Beat Gps Jammers Thalheimer said Regent identified the "capability gap" in the logistics of moving troops and supplies between island chains in the Indo-Pacific. Read On The Fox News App "We want something affordable and mass-produced. We do not have enough boats, the nation is working on our shipbuilding capabilities, we want something easy to operate and easy to crew, because it currently takes two years to train a pilot," he said. The seaglider travels up to 180 miles at up to 180mph speed. It can take off and land on water, "eliminating the need for vulnerable runway infrastructure," according to the company. The aircraft is all-electric, which Thalheimer says makes it easier to refuel anywhere there is electricity, rather than having to transport in gas. "You think about a gallon of fuel today, you know, $6. If we're buying it in the U.S., which can go to 100 to $150 when it's delivered to those, disparate island chains," he said. Regent's Viceroy, which holds 12 passengers with a 65-foot wingspan, completed a successful sea test on Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay earlier this month. Lasers, Space Radars, Missile Interceptors: Defense Leaders Lay Out Vision For Trump's 'Golden Dome' Project Regent's "float, foil, fly" motto describes the flight path of the seaglider: First, it floats on the ocean's surface, then as it picks up speed it "foils," meaning it gliders over the water's surface with wing-like structures known as hydrofoils, which then retract as it lifts into the air. The vehicle leverages "ground effect," avoiding the turbulence of the sky by hovering just around 30 feet in the air. The glider's earth-hugging flight path is also designed to avoid enemy radar. "There's this great opportunity to fly below radar, but really above sonar in this hard-to-see space." One key mission Regent hopes to fulfill is medical evacuations, given the quick turn-around its seagliders can have from floating on the sea near a port to flying. Regent has submitted its design basis agreement (DBA) to the Coast Guard for its Viceroy seaglider to the Coast Guard and expects approval this year. "We are incredibly proud to extend our collaboration with the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Lab and continue to validate how REGENT's high-speed, low-signature, low-cost seagliders will enable defense missions," said Tom Huntley, VP of Government Relations and Defense at REGENT. "The second phase of our agreement will demonstrate their use cases for contested logistics operations in the maritime domain, fulfilling a critical national security need." The company has garnered over $90 million in investment from investors including 8090 Industries, Founders Fund, Japan Airlines and Lockheed article source: Marine Corps bets on electric seagliders 'invisible' to enemy radar for medevac missions at sea
Fox News
27-03-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Marine Corps bets on electric seagliders 'invisible' to enemy radar for medevac missions at sea
Regent's all-electric boat-plane hybrid project got a major boost from the government this week. The Marine Corps Warfighting Lab extended its collaboration with Regent with an estimated $10 million contract on Wednesday, following the successful completion of a $4.75 million contract. This new phase of testing will focus on examining its seaglider's capabilities on medical evacuation missions. For CEO Billy Thalheimer, a new era of global conflict centered on the Indo-Pacific represents a "reversion to World War II-style tactics," and the needs of the Pentagon will be once again focused on maritime operations instead of desert warfare like the war on terror in the Middle East. Thalheimer said Regent identified the "capability gap" in the logistics of moving troops and supplies between island chains in the Indo-Pacific. "We want something affordable and mass-produced. We do not have enough boats, the nation is working on our shipbuilding capabilities, we want something easy to operate and easy to crew, because it currently takes two years to train a pilot," he said. The seaglider travels up to 180 miles at up to 180mph speed. It can take off and land on water, "eliminating the need for vulnerable runway infrastructure," according to the company. The aircraft is all-electric, which Thalheimer says makes it easier to refuel anywhere there is electricity, rather than having to transport in gas. "You think about a gallon of fuel today, you know, $6. If we're buying it in the U.S., which can go to 100 to $150 when it's delivered to those, disparate island chains," he said. Regent's Viceroy, which holds 12 passengers with a 65-foot wingspan, completed a successful sea test on Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay earlier this month. Regent's "float, foil, fly" motto describes the flight path of the seaglider: First, it floats on the ocean's surface, then as it picks up speed it "foils," meaning it gliders over the water's surface with wing-like structures known as hydrofoils, which then retract as it lifts into the air. The vehicle leverages "ground effect," avoiding the turbulence of the sky by hovering just around 30 feet in the air. The glider's earth-hugging flight path is also designed to avoid enemy radar. "There's this great opportunity to fly below radar, but really above sonar in this hard-to-see space." One key mission Regent hopes to fulfill is medical evacuations, given the quick turn-around its seagliders can have from floating on the sea near a port to flying. Regent has submitted its design basis agreement (DBA) to the Coast Guard for its Viceroy seaglider to the Coast Guard and expects approval next year. "We are incredibly proud to extend our collaboration with the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Lab and continue to validate how REGENT's high-speed, low-signature, low-cost seagliders will enable defense missions," said Tom Huntley, VP of Government Relations and Defense at REGENT. "The second phase of our agreement will demonstrate their use cases for contested logistics operations in the maritime domain, fulfilling a critical national security need." The company has garnered over $90 million in investment from investors including 8090 Industries, Founders Fund, Japan Airlines and Lockheed Martin.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Electric seaglider begins crewed trials in Rhode Island waters
NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — There's a unique new vessel on Rhode Island's waters: an all-electric seaglider prototype known as the Viceroy. REGENT Craft announced on Thursday that it had conducted its first on-water test of the vessel. While the Viceroy is designed to carry 12 passengers, there were only two crew members on board for the first test. BACKGROUND: New Quonset seaglider facility to create hundreds of jobs The vessel is designed for three modes: floating on the hull, foiling above the waves, and flying just above the water. REGENT told 12 News on Thursday that the vessel is only floating for now. Foiling tests will happen after the floating tests are finished this spring. Test flights won't happen until 'mid-year.' The prototype was christened 'Paladin' before its maiden voyage. The vessel was tested in the waters of Narragansett Bay near Quonset Business Park. REGENT said the vessel will yield to boaters. 'We request mariners give the prototype ample room. REGENT's seaglider and its support vessels will monitor channel 16. Sécurité calls will be broadcast on channels 13 and 16 prior to high-speed testing,' a REGENT spokesperson explained. REGENT's electric passenger vehicles were created for regional travel over coastal waters, reducing the time and cost of coastal transportation with the ability to reach 180 miles per hour. In January, REGENT broke ground on a new manufacturing facility in Quonset that will build its seagliders once it opens in 2026. The company plans to serve customers all over the world and already has 600 orders, valued at more than $9 billion. 'Sea trials are just the beginning,' REGENT Co-founder and CEO Billy Thalheimer said in a press release. 'This is the first step toward delivering Viceroy seagliders around the world and fulfilling our global order book.' Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
What's On
12-02-2025
- What's On
New Seaglider will travel from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in 30 minutes for Dhs165
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a Seaglider… We're currently living in a world where speed is everything. If a webpage takes three seconds to load, it's frustratingly slow. If the Careem doesn't get to our location in five, we throw a Dubai 'Jumeirah-Jane' like tantrum. If our food order is more than 20 minutes away, the hangry intensifies. So when it comes to traveling between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, what we all want is a speedy transit. Where we don't find ourselves sitting in the back of a taxi or a bus zooming by nothing but endless sand dunes. We do have the Etihad Rail coming up, but the launch date is set for 2030, and that's way too far off. However, we've just learned about a new mode of transportation at the World Government Summit, which you'll be thrilled to know about. Say hello to the Seaglider An impressive piece of tech that will transport you from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in just 30 minutes. The new mode of transportation was unveiled by Billy Thalheimer, founder and CEO of Regent Craft. This, however, isn't the first time we've come across the Seaglider. We last spoke about the sea gliders back in April 2024. Back then, however, it was developed with a goal to transfer passengers from the Abu Dhabi mainland to popular destinations, including Sir Bani Yas Island and Delma Island. But now, it looks like we can expect to use the mode of transportation between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. And if you think it will cost as much as a flight to Saudi Arabia, think again because a trip will set you back just Dhs165. So, what exactly is a Seaglider? In short, the seaglider is a fully electric vehicle that is a cross between a glider (a light aircraft) and boat. It combines the speed of an aircraft with the accessibility of a boat and is designed for travel between coastal cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It essentially uses the 'wing-in-ground effect' – a technology that has been around for over 60 years. It will be able to travel up to speeds of 290kph cutting down travel times. While we all can't wait to try it out, the Seaglider is currently in the testing phase, and we can expect to be using this cool mode of transportation in two years. We wonder if we can use our nol card… Want more? The Seaglider wasn't just the only futuristic transportation unveiled at the World Government Summit. We also learned about the RAILBUS, a sustainable future mass transit system powered by solar energy that will transport people across the city through a network of bridges. Read more here. For all the cool upcoming modes of transportation coming to the UAE, visit this link here. Images: Regent Craft > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
Khaleej Times
11-02-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Faster than helicopter, cheaper than taxi: UAE could get new transport mode by next year
Travelling at high speeds over water as fast as a helicopter at a cost cheaper than a taxi fare. This is the promise by the CEO of a start-up company that is planning to add another futuristic vehicle to the UAE's transportation network. Called Seaglider, the all-electric, wing-in-ground-effect craft operates dock-to-dock, over-water routes within a wingspan of the water's surface. It combines the speed of an aircraft with the operating cost and accessibility of a boat, said Billy Thalheimer, founder and CEO of Regent Craft, at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Tuesday. 'The prototype will be on the water very soon and we are expecting to get it tested on the air this summer. The product vehicle will be delivered late 2026 or early 2027,' Thalheimer told Khaleej Times. He added seagliders will be built to the same safety standards as modern aircraft and watercraft. They can operate on service routes up to 180 miles (300km) with existing battery technology, with a potential to serve routes of up to 500 miles (800km) once next-generation batteries become available, all using existing dock infrastructure. The best part is that seagliders can travel as fast as a chartered helicopter at a cost cheaper than a taxi fare. Thalheimer said passengers who will ride a 12-seater Seaglider will each pay only $45 or Dh165 for trip between Abu Dhabi Marina and Dubai Marina. Float, foil, and fly Thalheimer explained seagliders operate in three modes – float, foil, and fly. Seagliders float on their hull at docks or while maneuvering at low speeds, using existing dock infrastructure to pick up and drop off passengers and goods. Seagliders then rise onto hydrofoils — the wings operate underwater to lift the hull out of the water to reduce drag and avoid waves. These will also be used to navigate harbors while on low takeoff speeds. Then seagliders fly over open water at speeds up to 180mph (300kmph) on a cushion of air using a phenomenon called 'ground effect,' meaning they are always 'flying within one wingspan of the water's surface.' Thalheimer showed a video of a seaglider prototype that was tested on actual waters. He added Regent Company, which has global headquarters in Rhode Island, USA, is building the flagship Seaglider, Viceroy, which is a 12-passenger vehicle. He added Regent has a global order book worth more than $9 billion across six continents and has raised more than $90 million from investors including Strategic Development Fund (SDF), Neom, Japan Airlines, and Lockheed Martin. Made in the UAE The country will play a major role in the development of seagliders, noted Thalheimer. There will be local support and investment to expand its global operations, including workforce development, supply chain, integration and seaglider delivery In April last year, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and Regent signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of DRIFTx, Abu Dhabi's smart and autonomous mobility transport event. The MoU entails providing support and attracting investment for the technology's development and manufacturing at the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry (SAVI) cluster, located in Masdar City. 'Plans are maturing,' Thalheimer said confidently, adding: 'We have some big announcements to make in the next couple of days.'
