The Miami-based company Sea Cheetah originally had its sights set on the ultra-luxury market with the development of its hydrogen-powered flying boats. Now the start-up company is presenting the latest generation of so-called WIGE boats as a potential revolution for cruise holidays and sea rescue.
The floor effect technology
Ground effect vehicles are considered to be an exotic form of transport. They are a mixture of watercraft and aeroplane. WIGE stands for "wing-in-ground-effect". This utilises the aerodynamic principle of the ground effect, which increases lift and reduces drag when flying close to the surface. The technology is not new. The effect was utilised as early as 1947 in the development of the "Spruce Goose" in the USA. During the Cold War, the Soviet Navy built several very large ground effect vehicles under the name Ekranoplan (glider), of which the "Caspian Sea Monster" first became known in the West through satellite images. The best-known German development is the Seafalcon from the Rostock-based company Meerestechnik Engineering GmbH (MTE), which received millions in funding in the 1990s. However, one of the test flights ended in an accident in 2007. The crash was not serious for the pilot. For MTE, however, it meant the end.
The renaissance of flying boats
Now the development of ground effect vehicles seems to be picking up speed again in several countries. In Singapore, the company ST Engineering is testing the AirFish 8, an eight-seater prototype, in a joint venture with Peluca (formerly Widgetworks). Originally developed in Germany in 2001, the vehicle was actually intended to be used as a kind of boat taxi in Oceania. However, due to technical problems and financial difficulties on the part of the manufacturers, it was not widely used. After several company reorganisations, ST Engineering from Singapore now wants to launch a revised 10-seater version on the market in 2025. 10 units have already been ordered by the Turkish company Eurasia Mobility Solutions (EMS), with an option for 10 more aircraft. In Korea, Wingship Technologies is even working on vehicles that can carry up to 50 people.
Faster than a speedboat, cheaper than an aeroplane
The WIGE boats fly just under three metres above the surface of the water and reach speeds of over 135 knots (250 km/h). According to Sea Cheetah, they can cover hundreds of miles without having to refuel with hydrogen. And if this does become necessary, Sea Cheetah has a solution at hand: with the H2Hub, the company wants to offer floating hydrogen refuelling stations. The vehicles will be able to refuel with locally produced green hydrogen at these "pit stops".
But back to the question of whether it is still a boat at all: In the USA, the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) has confirmed that it only regulates flying vehicles that are over 50 feet, i.e. above a height of 15 metres. Ground effect vehicles therefore fall outside their jurisdiction. The "pilots" require a boat licence and not a pilot's licence.
More about hydrogen drives for boats:
The use of hydrogen as an energy source, as promised by Sea Cheetah, would be new. Hydrogen could be refuelled much faster than batteries can be charged. The company is currently working with H3 Dynamics, which develops fuel cells for aviation.
Transport of the future?
Ground effect vehicles are very efficient. The ground effect increases the range and large loads can be transported. They are also cheaper to produce than aeroplanes. They therefore have the potential to revolutionise the decarbonisation of the transport sector.
The developers' vision: fast, environmentally friendly and comfortable transport of people, as well as food, medicines and other important resources, between islands and remote coastal areas. They could also play a crucial role in sea rescue operations thanks to their speed and stability.
But this is all still a dream of the future. The company is still at an early stage and has only published renderings so far. A date for the market launch is not yet known.
Jill Grigoleit
Editor Travel
