In February this year, it was announced that Kazakhstan plans to launch an air taxi. It was assumed that the hydrogen-fueled helicopter taxi would operate between Almaty and the city of Alatau.
The Urban Air Mobility (UAM) project is being implemented by a private company with the participation of private investments. At the same time, a working group on the development of UAM has been created at the ministry. It includes representatives of private organizations and state agencies, including the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry, as well as representatives of the regional akimat.
"The goal of the UAM project is to develop the region's tourist attractiveness and improve transport connections through the introduction of new air traffic technologies. Air transport is planned to be carried out between the cities of Almaty and Alatau. In April of this year, a working meeting of the Kazakh company with foreign companies was held. After the meeting, the prospects of the joint UAM project were discussed, in particular, the issue of introducing an innovative air taxi system on the territory of the city of Alatau, the ministry reported.
In addition, the department noted that pilot tests of the project will be held in 2026-2027 in the city of Alatau. Today, a Kazakh company, with the participation of international experts, is conducting research and development work to study the aviation and technological capabilities of aircraft with vertical take-off and landing for testing and recording technical parameters in the climatic conditions of the country. These studies, as well as the feasibility study of the project, will be implemented in 2025-2026. In addition, the company is designing a temporary test site in the city of Alatau.
According to the Department of Passenger Transport and Highways of the Almaty Region, a test center for launching aircraft has been opened in the Oiz Tulip industrial zone in the city of Alatau as part of the air taxi project.
The department also reported that the determination of the air corridor for air taxi flights is within the competence of the Ministry of Defense in accordance with paragraph 6 of Article 15 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On the Use of Airspace and Aviation Activities”.
The news was published on the basis of an information exchange agreement between Fakti.bg and Kazinform