The era of the seaplane—well, sort of a seaplane—may be returning for Scotland’s Highlands and Islands region, where many small communities depend on boats or small planes for their connections.
Hitrans, the regional transport partnership for the region is looking into the Regent Seaglider, a hybrid vehicle that can fly at low altitudes, skim over water on a hydroplane or travel on its hull in the water, powered by a dozen electric engines mounted on its wings.
Regent says its prototype has been undergoing sea trials and may soon be ready for production. At 55 feet long with a 65-foot wingspan, it can carry 12 passengers and 1600 kilograms of cargo about 180 miles at 180 miles per hour. While that doesn’t match the speed of modern airplanes, it is considerably faster than boats, and doesn’t need airports for operation.
Among Regent’s partners in development are Japan Airlines and Lockheed Martin.
