Brittany unveils plans for cross-Channel electric ‘flying’ ferries
Operator in talks with US start-up about introducing 180mph ‘seagliders’ by end of decade
Electric ferries could be skimming just above the surface of the English Channel by the end of the decade under plans unveiled by Brittany Ferries.
The ferry operator has signed a letter of intent with a US technology start-up to explore the operation of “seaglider” services between the UK and France.
The agreement with Boston-based Regent includes an option for the delivery in 2028 of two flying ferries with wings, which can carry 155 passengers at speeds of 180mph, Brittany said on Tuesday.
The announcement comes as transport companies are increasingly willing to explore unproven new technologies, particularly to help cut carbon emissions.
American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and aircraft lessor Avolon last week made a preliminary commitment to buy up to 1,000 electric air taxis from a British start-up, while United Airlines evoked memories of Concorde when it ordered 15 supersonic aircraft from US start-up Boom Supersonic.
Seagliders fly on a cushion of air above the waves at a low altitude, similar to hovercrafts, which used to carry passengers and cars between the south of England and France.
The concept is based on Soviet Navy “ekranoplans”, large naval craft developed in the late 1980s that flew a few feet above sea level and were dubbed “Caspian Sea monsters” but never made it into widespread use.
Regent has yet to unveil a “wing-in-ground effect vehicle” that has carried commercial passengers, but promises to by 2025 and says it has secured $465m in provisional orders from airlines and ferry companies.
Its backers include Peter Thiel’s investment fund and Caffeinated Capital, an early investor in Denver-based Boom.
Brittany Ferries, which is in development discussions with Regent, conceded there were “many technological, practical and regulatory milestones” to be cleared before flying ferries were zipping across one of the most congested waterways in the world.
“We hope this may help bring commercial success in the years that follow. Who knows? This could be the birth of ferries that fly across the Channel,” said Frédéric Pouget, ports and operations director for Brittany Ferries.
While the potential to carry passengers at scale using new technology is still theoretical, studies forecast big opportunities for the sector over the next few decades.
A study by consultancy Roland Berger predicts the passenger urban air mobility market will generate revenues of almost $90bn a year by 2050, with 160,000 commercial passenger drones flying in the skies.
Investment in start-ups also reached $907m in the first half of 2020, almost 20 times the level in all of 2016, the report said.
The study said regulation was “no longer viewed as a major industry barrier”, noting that aviation authorities around the world, such as the EU Aviation Safety Agency and the US Federal Aviation Administration, were working with eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) manufacturers and others to implement workable regulations.
But despite bullish projections, the flying taxi market faces several challenges, from gaining public acceptance to building the necessary infrastructure and meeting regulatory demands.
Individual vehicles would also need to secure the relevant certification from air safety regulators, although the regulatory requirements for flying ferries could be different.
The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority is working to keep pace with rapid developments in drone technology, and has encouraged innovation in areas, including artificial intelligence and autonomous flying.