The rise of Alatau City: Air taxis tested in the city for the first time
Tengrinews.kz — The city of Alatau hosted a demonstration of the first flying taxi and delivery drone models. We attended the presentation to find out when these vehicles will begin transporting passengers, food, and other goods.
5 passengers and 200 kilometers per hour
During the presentation, an eVTOL (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) air taxi by the Chinese company AutoFlight took to the skies.
Photo © Tengrinews.kz / Bolat Aitmolda
Guests were shown the AutoFlight Prosperity model, designed to carry one pilot and five passengers.
Photo © Tengrinews.kz / Bolat Aitmolda
The air taxi reaches speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour. The vehicle is equipped with 13 electric motors and produces zero CO₂ emissions.
Photo © Tengrinews.kz / Bolat Aitmolda
The demonstration flight was conducted without passengers for safety reasons. The aircraft was remotely piloted, with the operator controlling the flight from a cockpit located near the takeoff site.
The vehicle spent approximately 10 minutes in the air, performing a figure-eight maneuver before returning to the starting point.
Video provided by the organizers
What you need to know about the air taxi
Kellen Xie, First Vice President of AutoFlight, shared technical details about the project. According to him, the developers have created three models of the aircraft:
cargo;
firefighting;
passenger.
The cargo and firefighting versions operate fully autonomously without human intervention.
Kellen Xie / Photo © Tengrinews.kz / Bolat Aitmolda
"The aircraft can fly for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes and cover up to 250 kilometers on a single charge. The maximum flight altitude is about 3,000 meters, and the maximum payload capacity is up to 450 kilograms," the AutoFlight Vice President reported.
Photo © Tengrinews.kz / Bolat Aitmolda
The executive added that the future passenger model will feature a supercharger system, allowing the battery to charge from zero to 100 percent in just 45-50 minutes.
"The aircraft's wingspan reaches 15 meters, so a landing pad with a diameter of about 30 meters is sufficient for takeoff and landing, as the vehicle operates vertically," he added.
Photo © Tengrinews.kz / Bolat Aitmolda
The Kazakhstani company Alatau Advance Air Group Ltd (AAAG) has already signed a memorandum to purchase 50 such aircraft. The company stated plans to develop infrastructure, maintenance services, and personnel training.
When air taxis will launch in Kazakhstan and where they will fly
The main question of interest to journalists at the presentation was: when will these vehicles start transporting passengers in Kazakhstan? AAAG Project Manager Daniyar Uteulin stated that the timeline depends on aircraft certification and infrastructure preparation.
According to him, the first commercial flights could begin by 2029.
"It depends on the certification of these vehicles, which is handled not only by the Alatau city administration. This involves specific certification for safety and efficiency. Once certification is complete, we plan to launch the first commercial test operations in late 2028 or early 2029," he said.
Daniyar Uteulin / Photo © Tengrinews.kz / Bolat Aitmolda
Another point of interest was the flight routes. The speaker explained that these are currently being discussed with relevant agencies, including Kazaeronavigatsia and the Ministry of Defense.
"Routes will be defined to ensure maximum safety for city residents and passengers. This is not an instantaneous process; it will take time. With the participation of all interested government bodies, we will be able to develop such routes and then implement them," he said.
Where the air taxis will land
The aircraft will utilize so-called vertiports for takeoff and landing—ground pads equipped with charging infrastructure and navigation systems.
Photo © Tengrinews.kz / Bolat Aitmolda
Organizers explained that such pads can be integrated into the urban environment: on rooftops, at transportation hubs, and in business clusters. The vertiports are being designed by the international company UrbanV.
Vertiport model / Photo provided by the organizers
One such vertiport was showcased during the presentation. An AAAG representative noted that the site is currently incomplete, as it lacks a terminal—a designated waiting area for passengers. This facility is planned as a separate construction.
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According to Uteulin, there are plans to establish four vertiports in Alatau alone.
"We plan to build four vertiports in the city of Alatau, one in each of the four districts. You are currently in the Golden district, which will host the very first vertiport. We then intend to hold talks with Almaty International Airport to establish a vertiport there, along with several points within the city itself. Discussions regarding their exact locations are currently underway," he explained.
Photo © Tengrinews.kz / Bolat Aitmolda
Uteulin noted that the construction timeline for the vertiports depends on the city's development. He stated that the site near Almaty airport remains a priority, though aircraft certification must be completed first.
He also added that flights will be rapid—for instance, the journey from Almaty airport to Alatau by air taxi will take approximately 10 minutes.
Estimated costs and project funding
AutoFlight representative Kellen Xie reported that such aircraft are already in use in China, but currently only for logistics. Full-scale commercial passenger flights do not yet exist anywhere in the world.
He did not disclose the exact cost of the aircraft, citing confidentiality, but noted that in the future, these vehicles could be priced similarly to premium-class cars.
"There are currently no commercial passenger flights for this type of aircraft in the world. This is a new technology. However, looking at future projections—in about 5 to 10 years—the price will likely be only slightly higher than that of luxury cars," the AutoFlight Senior Vice President concluded.
Photo provided by the organizers
Meanwhile, AAAG representative Daniyar Uteulin stated that the project is entirely privately funded, while the government provides regulatory support.
Note:AAAG specified that approximately 40 legal acts are being developed for the project, essentially forming an "air code" for Alatau City. Draft amendments to national aviation legislation are already under consideration by the Mazhilis.
During the presentation, Akim of the Almaty region Marat Sultangaziyev also addressed guests and journalists. He stated that private investment in the project is estimated at approximately $250 million.
"The planned financing of around $250 million confirms a high level of confidence in the future of Alatau City and Kazakhstan's potential as a regional hub for advanced air mobility. Today, our country is not merely observing global technological changes, but is becoming an active participant and beginning to shape the future independently," the regional Akim said.
Akim of the Almaty region Marat Sultangaziyev / Photo © Tengrinews.kz / Bolat Aitmolda
Drone food delivery
While the first air taxi flights are expected by 2029, drone delivery services could become available to residents of Kazakhstan within the next few years.
Immediately following the air taxi flight demonstration, guests were shown the operation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for delivery. The project utilizes technology from Keeta Drone (China) and A2Z (USA).
The UATM digital navigation platform was developed by Korea Airports Corporation and the Shenzhen Urban Transportation Planning Center.
Keeta Drone representatives showed guests a terminal resembling an outdoor automated parcel locker.
The principle is simple: a user orders food or other goods via an app, a drone delivers them to the terminal, and the person collects the order themselves.
Photo © Tengrinews.kz / Bolat Aitmolda
Photo © Tengrinews.kz / Bolat Aitmolda
It is worth noting that Vyacheslav Kim, a shareholder of Alatau City Bank and partner at AAAG, used the drone delivery system to order coffee during the event.
Vyacheslav Kim orders coffee via the drone delivery system / Photo provided by the organizers
Photo provided by the organizers
Vyacheslav Kim spoke about the project's significance and the new legal framework.
"On May 8, 2026, the Head of State signed the Constitutional Law 'On the Special Legal Regime of the City of Alatau.' This is a major milestone that solidifies the success of all previous efforts and creates a foundation for implementing initiatives such as the low-altitude economy—a high-tech sector that will define the future of the global economy. It is a great honor for me and my team to take a direct part in establishing Kazakhstan as one of the world's leading technological powers within the framework of the Head of State's strategic course," Vyacheslav Kim said.
He noted that thanks to government support, it was possible to create the UAM Center Eurasia urban air mobility center and attract international technology partners.
Read also: Alatau granted unique status: Tokayev signs law
Meanwhile, the American company A2Z presented a different format—direct-to-door delivery without the need for parcel lockers.
Photo © Tengrinews.kz / Bolat Aitmolda
Photo provided by organizers
According to Daniyar Uteulin, the system utilizes masts that extend the operating radius of drones and assist with charging.
"If a standard drone has a radius of, for example, about 20 kilometers, these masts increase it, marking loading and unloading points while simultaneously helping to charge the drones. This expands delivery capabilities and forms a new infrastructure," he noted.
He added that together, these solutions form the "low-altitude economy"—a new model for urban logistics and airspace management.
Uteulin reported that AAAG is in talks with one of Kazakhstan's major retail chains.
"We are in negotiations with one of the largest retail chains in Kazakhstan, which is seriously considering the possibility of delivery as part of a pilot project. We very much hope to launch this year," he said.
First test flights: Ministry of Transport's comments
Earlier, on May 19, Minister of Transport Nurlan Sauranbayev told journalists that an air taxi test flight had taken place in Alatau. A video recording of the drone had circulated online the day before.
Journalists inquired whether ordinary Kazakhstani citizens would be able to afford air taxi rides. Nurlan Sauranbayev reminded that this is a new product for the global market, so no one can yet provide an exact cost for a trip.
"This is a brand-new product globally, and it is currently in its testing phase. Naturally, at this stage, no one can even perform a cost calculation. We will see. The testing will continue. Currently, landing zones are being built and these vehicles are being acquired. Many services were once unaffordable because they weren't mass-market. In the future, I believe, as the transport is further refined [prices will adjust]," he said.
When air taxis were first discussed
The launch of air taxis was first discussed back in 2024. At that time, a government meeting addressed the development plan for the city of Alatau. Participants considered the implementation of Urban Air Mobility transport, intended to connect Alatau and Almaty.
Later, on March 20, 2026, Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev announced agreements with the American company Joby Aviation and China's AutoFlight. He noted at the time that Kazakhstan plans to purchase several dozen drones.
According to him, air taxis will be able to transport passengers from Almaty Airport to Medeu in 10 minutes. At that point, Bozumbayev stated that test flights were expected to launch within the next 2-3 years. Potential tourist traffic was estimated at eight million people per year.
Why Alatau: The context
The city of Alatau was established in Kazakhstan in 2024, based on the village of Zhetigen. The government approved its master plan, which involved redrawing the boundaries of the Ili and Talgar districts, as well as the city of Konaev, with parts of these territories incorporated into the new city.
Alatau is envisioned as a new hub for investment and business activity. Multibillion-dollar agreements have been signed with major international corporations. One of these companies was involved in the development of the Shenzhen technopolis and will now work on the Alatau City project.
The city is planned to be "digital," but this goes beyond cashless payments or self-driving taxis. Authorities want to transform it into a city where everything operates via modern technology: roads, transport, lighting, utilities, and resident services.
In September 2025, Alatau was granted special status. The President clarified that this does not change the city's state jurisdiction but introduces special conditions for development—covering taxes, finance, and regulation—to simplify investment and business operations.