New Law on Air Taxis and Unmanned Aviation: What Will Change for Kazakhstan’s Market?

This step officially establishes a modern regulatory framework for the development of innovative aviation and the integration of advanced technologies into Kazakhstan’s national aviation system.

With this decision, Kazakhstan has formally codified the rules governing the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market and joined the ranks of countries with advanced regulatory frameworks for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, alongside the United States, the European Union, South Korea, and China.

According to Morgan Stanley, the global Urban Air Mobility market could reach USD 1-1.5 trillion by 2040. By establishing a forward-looking legal framework, Kazakhstan is positioning itself as the leading investment and logistics hub for the emerging low-altitude economy across Central Asia.

What Does the New Law Change? Seven Key Amendments

The adopted amendments to the Law “On Use of the Air Space of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Aviation Activity” move innovative aviation from the realm of experimentation into a transparent and legally regulated business environment.

1.      The concept of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) has been introduced, with its two categories defined as Urban Air Mobility and Regional Air Mobility.
2.      A legal framework has been established for the operation of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and other aircraft approved for Advanced Air Mobility.
3.      The legal status of vertiports has been established as infrastructure for Advanced Air Mobility, together with the key principles governing their operation.
4.      New certification mechanisms have been introduced for aircraft developers and manufacturers, Urban Air Mobility operators, civil remotely piloted aircraft systems, and the corresponding aircraft.
5.      A legal framework has been established for an unmanned aircraft traffic management system, providing digital flight management for unmanned aircraft systems, information exchange, identification, routing, and coordinated use of airspace.
6.      Cybersecurity and digital infrastructure requirements have been introduced to support unmanned aircraft traffic management services.
7.      Government regulation of civil unmanned aircraft systems has been enhanced, including provisions covering registration, operation, certification, and flight management.

From Regulation to Implementation

The transition from regulatory planning to practical implementation has already begun.

In May 2026, Kazakhstan successfully conducted the first demonstration flight of a passenger eVTOL aircraft in Central Asia. The AutoFlight Prosperity aircraft, with a payload capacity of one tonne, is capable of reaching speeds of up to 200 km/h and covering distances of up to 200 km on a single charge.

As part of the demonstration project, Kazakhstan’s private company Alatau Advanced Air Group Ltd. (AAAG) took a major step toward developing the Urban Air Mobility sector. AAAG signed a memorandum with AutoFlight for the purchase of 50 V2000/V5000 series eVTOL aircraft. The parties also agreed to build a comprehensive regional ecosystem in Kazakhstan covering marketing, sales, training, infrastructure, ground operations, and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities.

The law’s practical infrastructure framework enables investors to openly design future route networks. The launch of the first regular commercial air taxi services is scheduled for 2028, connecting key locations across the Almaty metropolitan area, including Almaty and Konaev. Travel time between the cities will be reduced to 15–20 minutes, providing an environmentally friendly solution with zero carbon emissions while addressing the challenges of traffic congestion and daily commuter flows that have repeatedly been highlighted by the President of Kazakhstan.

Alatau City: Eurasia’s Largest Regulatory Sandbox

Alatau City will serve as the main platform for the development of Urban Air Mobility, eVTOL operations, and related infrastructure. Kazakhstan’s unique approach lies in the fact that the general aviation reforms have also been reflected in the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On the Special Legal Regime of the City of Alatau,” signed by the President on May 8, 2026. In particular, article 57 establishes the legal foundation for implementing Urban Air Mobility technologies, including both piloted and unmanned innovative aircraft.

The city’s special constitutional status makes it possible to introduce experimental legal regimes and deploy intelligent UTM systems faster than almost anywhere else in the world. Construction of the country’s first vertiport has already begun at the demonstration site in Alatau City. It will become the foundation of the large-scale UAM Center Eurasia hub.

The legislative reforms were developed over more than a year by the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan, with the participation of the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan JSC and KazAeroNavigation RSE, and with the support of AAAG and leading international consulting organizations, including KPMG Korea, KPMG US, Korea Airports Corporation, and UrbanV.

“The President’s signing of this law gives the green light to international capital. We have not simply legalized a new mode of transport - we have created an entirely new economic sector from the ground up. Our demonstration flight in May and the memorandum with AutoFlight have demonstrated to international partners that Kazakhstan is ready for the full-scale adoption of Advanced Air Mobility. The combination of the Aviation Administration’s regulatory flexibility, KazAeroNavigation’s expertise, and the constitutional advantages of Alatau City positions Kazakhstan as the most attractive investment destination for the low-altitude economy in Eurasia,” representatives of Alatau Advance Air Group Ltd. stated.