Kazakhstan becomes the first country in the region to launch a full-scale urban air mobility ecosystem: air taxis, delivery drones, and digital navigation.

A significant step toward a technological future has been taken in Kazakhstan: at the Alatau City site, with the support of the Ministry of AI and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the first demonstration flight of an innovative electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft - an eVTOL, more commonly known as an air taxi - was successfully conducted.

The project is entirely funded through private investment by the Kazakhstani company Alatau Advance Air Group Ltd. (AAAG), in partnership with leading technology players from the United States, China, South Korea, and Italy. The total investment in the development of urban air mobility across the region is estimated at $300 million USD.

The centerpiece of the presentation was a flight by the AutoFlight Prosperity passenger aircraft, designed to carry one pilot and five passengers. The vehicle is equipped with 13 electric motors, can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h, and is capable of traveling up to 200 km on a single charge. Unlike conventional aviation, this mode of transport operates almost silently and produces zero CO₂ emissions. In accordance with strict international safety requirements, the first test flight was conducted without any passengers on board.
The advancement of innovative, environmentally friendly transport directly aligns with the country's long-term strategy for digitalization and technological leadership.

"Today, Kazakhstan is taking an important step in the development of next-generation transportation. The eVTOL demonstration flights show that breakthrough urban air mobility technologies are gradually moving from concept to practical application.

For Alatau City, this means building new smart city infrastructure — not just individual aircraft, but an entire ecosystem: from air taxis and vertiports to digital navigation systems and cargo drones. This is how the low-altitude economy is beginning to take shape in Kazakhstan.

We are creating the conditions for such solutions to enter the country, adapt to our cities, and serve the quality of life of our citizens, the growth of business, and Kazakhstan's technological competitiveness," - said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, Zhaslan Madiyev.
The organizers emphasize that this is not merely about deploying individual aircraft, but about building an entirely new industry - the "low-altitude economy." The event also showcased unmanned cargo delivery systems from Keeta Drone (China) and A2Z (USA), managed through the UATM digital navigation platform developed by Korean and Chinese partners — Korea Airports Corporation and the Shenzhen Urban Transportation Planning Center. According to projections by leading global analysts at Morgan Stanley and McKinsey, urban air mobility is set to become one of the key sectors of the world economy in the coming decades.

To integrate air taxis into everyday life in the region, construction of the first vertiport in Alatau City has already begun - a compact, technologically advanced ground facility for take-off, landing, and aircraft charging. The design is being handled by international firm UrbanV. Looking ahead, a unified air network is planned to connect Alatau City, Almaty, and key tourist destinations across the Almaty region. For example, the estimated travel time from Almaty International Airport to the high-altitude Medeu resort will be just 10-12 minutes.

"Our goal is not simply to bring in the technology, but to build a fully functioning industry: infrastructure, engineering expertise, and new jobs for Kazakhstani professionals. Alatau City is being designed from the ground up, and that is a unique advantage - urban air mobility can be embedded into the city's master plan from the very beginning," - representatives of Alatau Advance Air Group Ltd. shared.

A solid legal foundation has already been established to support this major technological leap. On May 8, 2026, the Head of State signed the Constitutional Law "On the Special Legal Regime of Alatau City," which provides for the creation of experimental legal frameworks and dedicated airspace zones for Urban Air Mobility. AAAG is currently working alongside government agencies on the development of approximately 40 regulatory instruments that will form the "air code" of the new city, while corresponding amendments to national aviation legislation are already under review in the Majilis of Parliament.

In parallel, as part of the project's expansion, AAAG has signed a memorandum with AutoFlight for the supply of 50 aircraft from the V2000/V5000 series. This agreement covers not only the procurement of vehicles, but also a full transfer of know-how, training of Kazakhstani specialists, and the establishment of a regional Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) center.

As AutoFlight representatives noted, "eVTOL technology today is at the same stage of rapid growth that electric vehicles were 10-15 years ago - and Kazakhstan is entering this global transformation among the first."

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/almobl-tehnologiya/press/news/details/1237167?lang=ru