New Regulations May Allow Drone Taxis Over Almaty This Summer

Kazakhstan is developing a regulatory framework for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of transporting passengers, Orda.kz reports.

This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev.

According to him, the Ministry of Transport is already working on the rules and studying the experience of cities where such technologies have begun to be introduced – in particular, Shanghai and Shenzhen. It is planned to launch domestic regulations in the summer and extend them to the territory of Almaty region, including Almaty and Alatau.

We intend to introduce our regulation this summer. It will cover the territory of Almaty region, including Alatau and Almaty. Routes, altitude, frequency will be determined and coordinated with airplanes, helicopters and birds. It's a lot of work. At the first stage, it will work like a taxi. For example, you arrive in Almaty and buy a ticket online in advance. Then you come to the site, not far from the airport, and fly to Medeo. Bozumbayev said at a briefing in the government.

The expected speed of such devices is 320–340 km/h. This will allow you to get from the airport to Medeu in 10–12 minutes. The authorities expect that unmanned transport will help connect Almaty with key tourist points and simplify transportation for guests of the city.

As part of the Shanghai Low-altitude Economy Action Plan (2024–2027), the city plans to implement more than 100 UAV use scenarios by 2027, including passenger transportation between key hubs (Pudong and Hongqiao airports) and sightseeing flights. Longhua Airport has become the main operational center in the city center.

Original author: Ilya Astakhov

Read also:

Dubai-Based Company Plans Entry into Kazakhstan’s Taxi Market

Kazakhstan Monitoring Taxi Market, Yandex GO Controls 90% Share