Alatau City Hosts AutoFlight eVTOL Debut
Vertiport networks are planned in the Almaty Region,.
AutoFlight announced that it has completed a demonstration flight of its 2-ton-class eVTOL aircraft in Almaty, Kazakhstan on May 19, together with Alatau Advance Air Group Ltd. (AAAG).
The two sides also inked an MOU covering 50 additional aircraft from AutoFlight’s V2000 and V5000 series.
The eVTOL maker said AAAG had previously purchased “large eVTOL aircraft” from the company and remitted payment, without disclosing the size of the initial order.
Held in Almaty, the flight marked what AutoFlight described as the first large-scale eVTOL demonstration in Central Asia, highlighting plans to develop low-altitude transportation networks across Kazakhstan and the wider region.
Under the agreement, the eVTOL maker will provide delivery support, operational training, maintenance services and marketing assistance.
The May 19 demonstration also saw live uncrewed delivery system demonstrations from China’s Keeta Drone and California’s A2Z Drone Delivery.
Keeta Drone, a subsidiary of Chinese internet company Meituan, demonstrated a delivery system using a terminal designed to function as an automated parcel locker. Users place orders via an app, with drones delivering packages to the terminal for pickup.
According to Kazakh media, Vyacheslav Kim, co-founder of Kaspi.kz and shareholder in Alatau City Bank, as well as a partner in the Alatau City air mobility project, tested the Keeta system during the event by ordering items including coffee.
For its part, A2Z demonstrated a direct‑to‑door delivery system using a cable‑based mechanism, eliminating the need for parcel lockers.
Kazakh media citing AAAG project manager Daniyar Uteulin, said the A2Z system employs masts that extend the operational radius of drones and assist with battery charging, marking loading and unloading points while simultaneously charging the drones.
Both delivery operations were managed by the UATM digital navigation platform, developed by Korea Airports Corporation and the Shenzhen Urban Transportation Planning Center.
Uteulin told Tengrinews.kz that AAAG is in negotiations with one of Kazakhstan’s major retail chains to launch a pilot delivery project, with hopes to begin later in 2026.
While AutoFlight did not disclose the specific model flown in its demonstration, Kazakh media identified the aircraft as the V2000EM Prosperity.
The four-passenger-plus-pilot eVTOL has a maximum takeoff weight of 2,400 kg (5,291 lb), a typical range of 200 km (124 mi), and a cruise speed of 200 km/h (124 mph).
The V2000EM is part of AutoFlight’s broader V2000 lineup, which also includes the V2000CG CarryAll cargo eVTOL and the V2000CGF firefighting variant.
The company also develops the larger V5000 platform for longer-range and higher-capacity missions.
The V5000 Matrix comes in two variants.
The all-electric version is designed for a range of up to 250 kilometers (about 155 miles), while a hybrid configuration targets ranges of up to 1,500 kilometers (about 930 miles).
In passenger configuration, the aircraft can carry up to 10 occupants. A cargo variant is designed for ton-level freight capacity, positioning the platform for heavier logistics and transport roles.
AutoFlight’s demonstration took place at a site where AAAG has begun constructing what it says will be Alatau City’s first vertiport.
AAAG plans to build additional vertiport networks in Alatau City, Almaty City and key tourist destinations in Almaty Region, connecting major transport hubs via low-altitude routes.
One proposed route would connect Almaty Airport to the Medeo Ski Resort, with a projected flight time of 10-12 minutes.
According to AutoFlight, Alisher Abdykadyrov, CEO of the Alatau City Administration, said the collaboration aims to develop a low-altitude economy that includes infrastructure and engineering capabilities, while also creating employment.
Xie Jia, senior vice president of AutoFlight, noted that Kazakhstan’s size and growing demand for point-to-point air connectivity present opportunities for eVTOL aircraft, citing their low noise, zero emissions and operational flexibility.
The manufacturer added that the demonstration provides a model for future eVTOL applications in Central Asia, including air taxi services, tourist transfers, logistics, emergency medical response and energy platform maintenance.
Plans call for continued collaboration with AAAG and Kazakh authorities on airworthiness certification, operational standards and training systems in the region.
According to Kazakh media, the future AutoFlight passenger model will feature a supercharger system capable of charging the battery from zero to 100% in 45‑50 minutes.
Regarding commercial service timelines, Uteulin was quoted by Tengrinews.kz as saying that first commercial flights could begin by 2029, depending on aircraft certification and infrastructure readiness.
He added that test commercial operations are planned for late 2028 or early 2029.
Flight routes are under discussion with Kazaeronavigatsia, the national air navigation services provider for Kazakhstan, and the Ministry of Defense.
AAAG plans to build four vertiports in Alatau City alone — one in each district — with the first located in the Golden district. Discussions are also underway with Almaty International Airport to establish a vertiport there.
Marat Sultangaziyev, Akim (Governor) of Almaty region, was cited as stating that private investment in the project is estimated at approximately $250 million.
Vertiport design for the network is being led by Italy’s UrbanV.
AAAG had previously announced a partnership with UrbanV in December 2025 to design vertiports, including demand analysis and route profiling.
Korea Airports Corporation, which signed an MOU with AAAG and Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport in October 2025, is also supporting vertiport infrastructure and regulatory frameworks.
A separate article from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development reported total investment in urban air mobility in the region at $300 million.
The ministry quoted Deputy Prime Minister Zhaslan Madiev as saying that Kazakhstan is creating an entire ecosystem including air taxis, vertiports, digital navigation, and cargo drones, and that the low‑altitude economy is beginning to develop in the country.
The same ministry release noted that AAAG’s memorandum with AutoFlight includes not only aircraft supply but also technology transfer, training of Kazakh specialists, and the creation of a regional maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) center.
Meanwhile, approximately 40 legal acts are being developed for the project, essentially forming an “air code” for Alatau City, with draft amendments to national aviation legislation already under consideration by the Mazhilis — the lower house of the Parliament of Kazakhstan.
The Ministry of AI and Digital Development added that the Constitutional Law “On the Special Legal Regime of the City of Alatau,” signed on May 8, provides for experimental legal regimes and special air zones for urban air mobility.
Apart from the AutoFlight deal, AAAG is also working with U.S.-based Joby Aviation.
Last November, Joby inked a letter of intent to sell eVTOL aircraft and services valued at up to $250 million to AAAG, supported by a parallel memorandum with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.
The parties will also collaborate on sourcing critical materials, including titanium and rare earth metals, from Kazakhstan for Joby’s production.
According to the Almaty region akimat (local executive authority), demonstration flights of the Joby S4 are expected to begin in 2026, with commercial operations planned after the aircraft receives certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and approval from Kazakhstan’s aviation authorities.