Kazakhstan's first-ever flight of an unmanned aerial vehicle with a passenger on board took place in the capital, Astana, reports infohub.kz.
According to the Civil Aviation Committee, the serial electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft performed a demonstration flight with a passenger as part of the international tournament "Games of the Future 2026" over a specially designated area in Astana.
The aircraft is designed to carry two passengers, reaches speeds of up to 130 km/h, and can fly distances of up to 35 km. "At the first stage, we are considering organizing demonstration and tourist routes lasting from 5 to 30 minutes over natural, cultural, and historical landmarks of Kazakhstan. In the future, unmanned passenger air systems could become part of the country's modern transport infrastructure, complementing existing modes of mobility," the committee said.
The committee noted that unmanned aerial systems could be used for emergency medical assistance, delivery of medicines, firefighting, logistics, and other areas where speed and efficiency are critical.
"A separate focus will be the development of domestic production. As part of international partnerships, we plan to localize the production of passenger unmanned aerial systems in Kazakhstan, which will create new competencies in high-tech engineering, generate additional jobs, and expand industrial cooperation," the committee added.
The statement also said that Kazakhstan has already adopted legislative changes regulating the operation of eVTOL aircraft, vertiport activities, and unmanned air traffic management systems. Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev told a government press conference how much an air taxi ride might cost. According to him, drone flights will become more affordable over time.
Previously, it was reported that the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft AutoFlight Prosperity can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h and cover up to 200 km.