Kazakhstan preparing legislative framework for aerotaxis, plans to build network of landing sites by 2028
ASTANA. May 22 (Interfax) - The Kazakh Ministry of Transport has developed a set of amendments to legislation in order to provide a basis for the functioning of aerotaxis and municipal air transport, the ministry's press service reported.
The necessary legislative framework took one year to develop, and the proposed changes are currently at the discussion stage, awaiting adoption in the near future.
Work is also being done to create specialized aerotaxi infrastructure. The concept and design of the vertical ports - where aircraft will be able to take off and land vertically - are being developed by an Italian company with experience of designing similar facilities in various countries, the ministry said.
The plans are to build a total of six vertical ports by 2028 - two in Alatau and four in Almaty, the Ministry of Transport told Interfax. These will be situated in strategically important parts of the city and transport networks, taking into account safety requirements, transport accessibility and integration with existing infrastructure.
The first demo flights for the aerotaxi and aerial delivery drones took place this week in the city of Alatau. For safety reasons, the test flight for the aerotaxi was conducted without any people on board.
The AutoFlight Prosperity passenger aircraft is designed for one pilot and five passengers. It is equipped with 13 electric motors, reaching speeds up to 200 kilometers per hour, and can fly up to 200 kilometers without recharging. Unlike traditional aircraft, this form of transport produces practically no noise and has no carbon dioxide emissions.
In order to integrate the aerotaxi into everyday life in the region, a new vertical port is already being built in Alatau - a compact and technologically developed platform for taking off, landing and charging, designed by international company UrbanV. In the future, a unified aerial network will connect Alatau, Almaty and key tourist locations in the Almaty region - for example, it will take just 10-12 minutes to travel from the airport in Almaty to the mountain-top resort of Medeu.
The project is fully funded by private investments from Kazakh company Alatau Advance Air Group Ltd. (AAAG) in partnership with technology companies from the U.S., China, South Korea and Italy. Overall investments in the development of aerial mobility in the region are estimated at $300 million.
In May, the president of Kazakhstan signed a constitutional law establishing a "special legal regime" for the city of Alatau, which introduces experimental legal regimes and special air zones. AAAG is working alongside government bodies to develop around 40 regulatory acts, which will form the "aerial code" of the new city, and the corresponding amendments to national aviation legislation are already being reviewed by the parliament.
In order to help develop the project, AAAG has signed a memorandum on the supply of 50 aircraft of series V2000/V5000 with company AutoFlight. This agreement involves not only the purchase of aircraft, but also the transfer of technologies, training for Kazakh specialists and the creation of a regional maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) center.
The city of Alatau in the Almaty region was formed in January 2024 in accordance with a presidential decree. The city plan was developed in tandem with Singapore's Surbana Jurong. In September 2025, the president signed a decree giving Alatau a special status. According to the plans, Alatau City will become the region's first fully digital city, with possibilities ranging from the application of smart city technologies to paying for goods and services using cryptocurrencies.
