For a while, we have been developing a Hoverwing Ground Effect Vehicle (type of WIG or Ekranoplan). To the casual observer it looks like the combination of a hovercraft and an aeroplane but it is designed primarily to operate in ground effect, i.e. sufficiently close to ground (or water) that the latter boosts the lift. It is classified as a "Type 2 Ground Effect Vehicle" because it can go into free-flight if the need arises.
This video shows the stability improvements done on the 1/6 scale foam RC model, our first powered prototype. We replaced our three surface system with a new wing configuration consisting of a large dihedral free-flight low-load rear wing and anhedral ground effect front wings with washout. The stability improvement looks promising, both in ground effect and in free flight.
We are presently constructing a 1/4 scale version that will use this configuration and as long as it is stable, we will then build the full scale wings for our 2-seater hovercraft, based on a Marlin II hull and 155HP Suzuki engine.
In time, we are planning to produce a ground effect and free flight model drone, as well as the full size ground effect craft.
Testing this time done in Bordon, Hampshire, UK and Climping Beach, Atherington, West Sussex, UK
More details can be found at http://www.rylandresearch.co.uk/ground-effect-vehicles
