Travel alert: Seagliders are under development between Abu Dhabi and Dubai

Regent Craft is creating the electric-powered mode of transport.

Transport options between Abu Dhabi and Dubai are limited. That looks set to change, thanks to Regent Craft, which is developing seagliders between the two cities. Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport has signed an agreement with the company, and here’s what we know about the electric-powered machines.

Regent Craft is an American company, which aims to reduce the cost of regional transport between coastal cities. And, when it comes to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the aim is to cut travel time by more than half.

The group has developed the seaglider, which is a boat meets plane. Operating a few metres off of the water’s surface, it boasts the low operating costs of a boat and the high speed of an aeroplane. The passenger service, Viceroy, will include 20-metre wingspan models, speeds of up to 290kph, and space for 12 passengers. The journey between Abu Dhabi and Dubai is expected to take approximately 25 minutes.

Billy Thalheimer, Co-Founder and CEO of Regent Craft, recently told Dubai Eye 103.8: “The seagliders are different as we have three modes of operation. So, you board it floating like a seaplane, but we’re a little more stable at the dock. As soon as we leave the dock, we rise up on hydrofoils.

“Our underwater wings lift the sea gliders out of the water, and give us a high wave tolerance and comfort and safety. Once we leave the marina or the harbour, we get to the open water where the boat traffic is less. Then we take off on four wings, and we get the speed and efficiency of being a flying machine in the open waterways”.

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GO: Visit www.regentcraft.com for more information.