Regent has broken ground on the world's first seaglider manufacturing facility, a critical step to transform transportation for coastal communities.

The 255,000sq ft facility, located in the Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, will enable Regent to manufacture its electric seagliders in the Ocean State. Coming online in 2026, the facility will house seaglider component manufacturing, vehicle final assembly and pre-delivery testing for its 12-passenger Viceroy seaglider, which is projected to travel at 180mph to service routes up to 180 miles on a single charge.

More than 100 guests, including Rhode Island public officials, members of the Quonset Development Corporation and local community members, gathered under an American flag on the facility site, located just steps from Narragansett Bay. The event included remarks and a ceremonial breaking of the ground.

“Thanks to companies like Regent, Rhode Island is becoming a destination for innovation,” says Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee. “This new manufacturing facility not only bolsters our economy through well paid jobs, but reaffirms our state's position as the epicentre of the blue economy.”

“Breaking ground on the seaglider manufacturing facility represents a pivotal moment in Regent's history, bringing us closer to meeting the incredible global demand for our all-electric seagliders,” adds Billy Thalheimer, co-founder and CEO of Regent. “We are honoured to partner with our state leaders, the Quonset Development Corporation and our local community members to create jobs in Rhode Island, reinvigorate American-made manufacturing and make the Ocean State the global epicentre of the blue economy.”

Since moving to Rhode Island in the summer of 2022, Regent has been building toward this moment. It has grown its global commercial order book to more than 600 seaglider orders valued at $9 billion across six continents and established itself as a trusted defence contractor with the US Marine Corps, showing a strong demand signal for seagliders across different regions and mission sets.

It has attracted experts across the maritime, aviation and technology industries to Rhode Island to develop seaglider technology, creating a blueprint for reinvigorating American-made manufacturing. And it has created its full-scale, passenger-carrying seaglider prototype, which will start sea trials in the coming months and make history with the first ever human flight on a seaglider this year.

Regent chose Rhode Island as its headquarters because it offers the ideal conditions to develop a new maritime vessel: diverse coastal testing environments, strong naval architecture and composites expertise, and access to top talent from across New England.

“Regent Craft is leading the way toward a future of clean, fast coastal travel, and we are thrilled that it has chosen to do it here in the Ocean State, where we are experts in composites manufacturing,” comments US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.

Regent has received $1 million from the Rhode Island Commerce Department under the First Wave Closing Fund Act, and the state has further committed to investing $3 million under the Rebuild Rhode Island Tax Credit Act. In addition, Regent has committed to creating 300 jobs, with the potential for up to 750, over the next 10 years, unlocking up to $13 million in incentives under Rhode Island's Qualified Jobs Program.

The seaglider manufacturing facility will enable Regent to expand its local impact and meet the overwhelming global demand for seagliders for years to come.