Astana, Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan has taken another step toward introducing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft into its transport system after an AutoFlight Prosperity air taxi completed a demonstration flight in Astana on July 24, 2026. The latest flight builds on an urban air mobility programme first publicly presented in Alatau City in June and comes as the country moves to establish the regulatory and infrastructure framework needed for future commercial operations.
The July 24 demonstration was conducted at the Kazanat Hippodrome by Kazakhstan-based Alatau Advance Air Group Ltd. (AAAG) in partnership with Chinese eVTOL manufacturer AutoFlight. The flight was held as part of the Games of the Future 2026, supported by Samruk-Kazyna, and marked the first demonstration flight of an eVTOL-based air taxi in Astana.
The aircraft used for the demonstration was the AutoFlight Prosperity, designed to accommodate one pilot and up to five passengers. The aircraft is equipped with 13 electric motors and can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h, with a range of up to 200 km. It produces zero direct CO₂ emissions and operates more quietly than conventional aircraft. The demonstration was conducted without passengers in accordance with safety requirements and ahead of full passenger certification for operation in Kazakhstan.
The Astana flight follows an earlier milestone in Alatau City. On June 9, Kazakhstan presented what it described as the first urban air mobility ecosystem in Central Asia, with the first demonstration flight of the AutoFlight Prosperity. The project is being developed through private investment by AAAG in partnership with technology companies from the United States, China, South Korea and Italy. Total investment in developing urban air mobility in the region is estimated at $300 million.
The June presentation also outlined plans for a broader UAM ecosystem encompassing eVTOL air taxis, vertiports, digital navigation and unmanned cargo delivery. Keeta Drone of China and A2Z Drone Delivery of the United States presented cargo delivery systems, while a digital UATM navigation platform was showcased with participation from Korea Airports Corporation and Shenzhen Urban Transportation Planning Center.
Infrastructure development is already underway. Construction of the first vertiport in Alatau City has begun in cooperation with UrbanV. The planned air mobility network is expected to connect Alatau City with Almaty and key tourist destinations across Almaty Region. Preliminary estimates indicate that an air-taxi journey from Almaty Airport to the Medeu high-mountain complex could take between 10 and 12 minutes.
The programme has also advanced on the regulatory front. Kazakhstan signed a Constitutional Law on the special legal regime for Alatau City on May 8, 2026, providing for experimental legal regimes and special airspace zones for Urban Air Mobility. The law entered into force on July 1, establishing Alatau City as a pilot platform for innovative transport technologies and allowing UAM infrastructure to be incorporated into the city’s master plan from the early stages of development.
Further legislative changes signed on June 24 established a legal framework for UAM in Kazakhstan, including the legal status of eVTOL aircraft, vertiports and Unmanned Traffic Management systems. The framework also introduces certification requirements for industry participants and digital infrastructure, providing the regulatory foundation for the future integration of the technology into the country’s transport system.
AAAG is working with government authorities on approximately 40 regulatory acts intended to support the development and regulation of the emerging sector. The company has also signed a memorandum with AutoFlight covering the planned supply of 50 aircraft from the V2000 and V5000 series. The agreement includes technology transfer, training for Kazakh specialists and plans for a regional maintenance and repair centre.
The latest government update says the UAM Center Eurasia project is already being developed in Alatau City and is intended to become the first urban air mobility centre in the region. AAAG is working with Korea Airports Corporation, UrbanV and AutoFlight on a network of vertiports, digital infrastructure and preparations for commercial operations.
The AutoFlight Prosperity demonstrated in Astana is scheduled to remain on public display during the Games of the Future 2026. It will be exhibited outside Barys Arena on July 29 and 30, giving visitors an opportunity to see the aircraft following its demonstration flight.
Kazakhstan’s progress therefore represents more than a single air-taxi demonstration. The country has moved from an initial public presentation in Alatau City on June 9 to a second demonstration in Astana on July 24, while simultaneously advancing legislation, infrastructure, aircraft procurement and technical capability. However, the programme remains in the development and demonstration phase, and a full commercial passenger air-taxi service has not yet been launched.
The latest developments strengthen Kazakhstan’s position as the first country in Central Asia to publicly demonstrate an eVTOL-based urban air mobility ecosystem and establish the foundations for its future integration into the transport network.
