Seaplanes are back in favor – new Polaris unveiled

A blast from the past looks set to make a splash in the future of aviation – seaplanes are making a comeback. Or did they never go away?


It has become known that the Tidal Flight company has presented its new development – ​​a hybrid-electric model Aircraft- Polaris amphibians, which, according to the manufacturer, are highly efficient. And, apparently, the new product is really worthwhile, as it has already attracted the interest of the American air carrier Tropic Ocean Airways, which has expressed its intention to purchase 20 units at once upon completion and launch them into operation in Florida and the Bahamas. The preliminary selling price of these aircraft is 100 million dollars.

Remained in the past

Probably, many people are sure that seaplanes are relics of the past. So to speak, relics of a bygone era, represented today by single examples of float planes in museum exhibits.


However, in reality this air transport It is quite widespread, especially on islands and in coastal areas where there is no possibility to allocate enough space even for a small airport.

Before the jet age, seaplanes were the mainstay of air travel, and even the first scheduled intercontinental flights took off and landed on water. In the early days of commercial travel in the 1920s, the first European companies offered seaplane services to deliver mail between South America and West Africa. By the late 1940s, giant amphibious passenger planes were appearing, some even boasting jet engines.

Gaining popularity

Today, there are also regular seaplane flights, not just to isolated islands but also between city centers like Seattle and Victoria, British Columbia. And they are, it must be said, gaining popularity, as most investors are not prepared to spend huge sums on eVTOLs and then wait an indefinite amount of time for the latter to receive the long-awaited permission to fly. Therefore, they see seaplanes as the best low-cost alternative for short-haul routes.

Moreover, modern models are high-tech and meet all market requirements. Among them is the Polaris prototype – a hybrid-electric amphibious seaplane with a wingspan of 18 meters and a takeoff weight of 5 kg.

Specifications and Benefits

The Polaris is propelled by a pair of electric gondolas mounted on the V-shaped tail unit and equipped with propellers powered by an internal combustion engine. It also rotates a generator that supplies power to the battery. The wings of the liner are equipped with folding sponsons, the purpose of which is to reduce aerodynamic drag.


This arrangement provides the aircraft with a cruising speed of 162 knots (about 300 km/h) and a flight range of up to 1900 km. The maximum altitude to which this seaplane rises is about 2100 m.

The company claims the hybrid power plant reduces takeoff noise by about 20 decibels and improves fuel efficiency by 85% compared to similar aircraft.


A 1:6 scale Polaris prototype is currently undergoing testing, with a full-size prototype scheduled to take to the skies in 2027. The aircraft is expected to be ready for passenger service as early as 2030.