(ORDO NEWS) — The American company Regent has published a video with tests of the prototype of its Seaglider ekranoplan, which combines a screen effect and hydrofoils in a single design.
The manufacturer promises to create a fast, quiet and comfortable 14-seater electric coastal transport capable of covering distances up to 300 kilometers at speeds up to 300 kilometers per hour.
“People have been trying to create a real ekranoplan for 60 years, and in 15 months we have gone from drawing on a napkin to the first successful flight.
No vehicle in history can match our hydroplane in terms of wave and speed resistance,” said Regent co-founder Mike Clinker. True, so far a small radio-controlled model the size of an ordinary passenger car has been tested.
Regent notes that the cost of operating a Seaglider will be half that of operating an aircraft, and the speed of an ekranoplan is several times higher than the speed of a boat capable of carrying the same number of passengers.
The company has already raised the $18 million needed to build a full-scale prototype with a 19.8-meter wingspan for future manned trials due to begin in 2024.
Inspired by success, Regent is already considering versions of ekranoplanes designed for at least 150 passengers.
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