New U.S. autonomous Squire Seaglider conducts test flight

REGENT said Monday that its autonomous Squire Seaglider has successfully completed a ground-effect flight test, a milestone the company described as the first flight in the United States of a defense-focused wing-in-ground effect craft.

The April 13 test marks a new stage in the company’s effort to bring the maritime drone into military service, with REGENT increasingly positioning the platform for operations in contested coastal waters and across the Indo-Pacific. The company tied the program directly to growing concerns over China’s maritime posture in the region.

“This successful flight milestone is a major success for our defense program and a strong signal of what Seaglider technology can deliver for the warfighter,” said Billy Thalheimer, REGENT’s co-founder and chief executive officer. “There are no products in the market today that combine the speed and wave tolerance of Squire at such a compelling price point. This will revolutionize maritime warfare.”

The Squire is an autonomous wing-in-ground effect vessel, a type of craft that travels just above the water rather than flying at conventional aircraft altitudes. By staying close to the surface, it rides on a cushion of compressed air created between its wings and the water, which reduces drag and allows it to move faster and more efficiently than a traditional boat.

REGENT said the platform is built to reach 70 knots, or roughly 81 miles per hour, with a planned range of more than 100 nautical miles and the ability to carry a 50-pound payload. The company said the drone is being developed for missions including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, tailored logistics, search and rescue, and anti-submarine warfare support.

That combination of speed and low-altitude movement is central to the pitch. Unlike conventional aircraft, the Squire does not rely on runways, and unlike many surface vessels, it is built to move quickly across large stretches of water while remaining low enough to be harder to detect on radar.

Tom Huntley, general manager of REGENT Defense, said the aircraft is aimed at military customers that need to cover wide maritime areas without depending on ports, airstrips, or larger ships that may be exposed in a contested environment.

“Defense customers require platforms that can operate across wide maritime areas with speed, range, and mission flexibility, without relying on traditional and often vulnerable infrastructure,” Huntley said. “Squire is designed to meet that exact need. This demonstration shows real progress toward delivering a high-speed autonomous capability for missions such as ISR, tailored logistics, and anti-submarine warfare.”

Earlier this year, REGENT said company leadership presented the Squire program to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and senior staff, outlining how the platform could help address gaps in contested logistics and other maritime missions. During that meeting, the company said Hegseth stressed the need to accelerate the delivery of new systems to the field.

The Squire flight is also part of a wider testing effort across REGENT’s Seaglider lineup. In Rhode Island, the company is continuing sea trials of its 12-passenger Viceroy Seaglider prototype, work that supports both commercial and military development tracks.

REGENT said it currently holds a $15 million contract with the U.S. Marine Corps, while its commercial order backlog stands at more than $10 billion.

Since the U.S. Coast Guard cleared Squire for testing last year, the company has been gradually expanding the vehicle’s flight controls, onboard systems, and operating limits. Monday’s demonstration moves the program beyond early validation and into live flight testing, giving the company its clearest proof yet that the platform is advancing toward operational use.