DRIFTx: ADIO, Regent partner to develop electric seagliders for coastal transport

The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) has announced a strategic collaboration with REGENT, a pioneer in electric seaglider technology, to support the development and manufacturing of seagliders at the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster in Masdar City.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) between ADIO and Regent was signed during DRIFTx, Abu Dhabi’s smart and autonomous mobility transport event, held at the Yas Marina Circuit from  April 25-26.

This partnership marks a significant milestone in REGENT‘s global expansion efforts, aiming to meet the demands of its order book exceeding $9bn worldwide.

The seagliders are all-electric, wing-in-ground-effect craft that operate dock-to-dock over-water routes.

Combining the speed of airplanes with the operating cost and accessibility of boats, these seagliders are built to modern safety standards and can service routes of up to 180 miles (300 km) with existing battery technology, potentially expanding to 500 miles (800 km) with next-generation batteries.

By leveraging the advanced facilities, services, and regulatory ecosystem provided by the SAVI cluster, REGENT aims to enhance its global operations in the UAE.

REGENT, ADIO collab to look at workforce development, among other areas

The collaboration with ADIO will facilitate local support and investment necessary for workforce development, supply chain integration, and seaglider delivery infrastructure.

REGENT plans to commence a pilot operational campaign in the next few years, with plans for localised seaglider manufacturing by the end of the decade.

Badr Al-Olama, director general of ADIO, said “With immense speed and efficiency, I’m confident Abu Dhabi will see the global deployment of electric seagliders, and these will dramatically change how goods and people move between the world’s coastal areas going forward.

“As a leading hub for the development of future industries, we will leverage to stand at the very forefront of a new wave of disruptive change in mobility that is set to create tremendous opportunities for businesses over the next few decades.“

Billy Thalheimer, co-founder and CEO of REGENT, emphasised the significance of Abu Dhabi’s SAVI cluster in supporting the company’s global expansion efforts and meeting the burgeoning demand for seaglider technology in the region.

He praised the rapid and dedicated support of ADIO and existing investor EDGE’s SDF in establishing a REGENT hub in Abu Dhabi.