A one-of-a-kind plane which is also a boat dubbed the 'seaglider' will merge the two different ways of travelling for a smoother and faster ride.

The seaglider is an all-electric flying machine and will be able to travel 180mph while transporting passengers between coastal cities with plans for it to be up and running by 2025.

Regent, a company based in Boston, US, hopes battery technology in the future will progress so it could travel up to 500 miles in a single charge by 2050.

The machine will combine the speed, comfort, and navigation systems of planes with the affordability, convenience, and maneuverability of a boat.

The hybrid will be able to travel at 45mph near coastlines as it uses the water underneath like a runway and reach top speed on open water as it stays within one wingspan of the surface.

A video released by the start-up shows the vehicle will have propellers on each of the wings, allowing it to gain speed.

Once it gains momentum the body of the glider can be seen rising up slightly above the water as it travels faster.

The clip also shows the craft hovering above the surface, mirroring a scene from a sci-fi movie.

In the video, making turns doesn't seem to be an issue even at fast speeds, meaning it'll be able to perform smooth journeys around the coast.

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Regent – whose company's name stands for Regional Electric Ground Effect Naval Transport – hope to create specific routes between major cities like New York and Boston and San Francisco and Los Angeles.

They also hope to establish connections between Hawaii and the mainland US or create short trips from New York City.

The company has received $450million (£320m) in orders from various operators across the globe for journeys by 2050.

The flying machine moves similar to a hovercraft that flies on a dynamic air cushion created through the pressurised air between the water and the wings.

The company explained: "Our seaglider flies a few meters above the water and replaces ferries and short-haul aircraft on coastal routes.

"This maritime environment allows us to halve the decade-long development cycle for aircraft and eVTOLs. By operating within a wingspan of the water, seagliders have double the range of electric aircraft thanks to aerodynamic and operational efficiencies."

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They predict battery power becoming more powerful in the not-too-distant future and hopes it'll be able to travel up to 500 miles on a single charge, for longer trips.

The recent finance round saw Fitbit founder James Park, Relativity Space founder Jordan Noone and technology investor Mark Cuban contribute.

CEO Billy Thalheimer told CNBC they are set to be flying a prototype, a quarter of the size, by the end of the year.

He said: "The prototype will have about a 15-foot wingspan, and will weigh about 400 pounds. We need to make sure it works in representative operational environments, like in waves and different weather."

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