Passenger air taxi trials have been conducted in
Kazakhstan for the first time. Demonstration flights took place in Alatau City,
marking the first step toward the development of urban air mobility. This mode
of future transport does not require long runways or large areas for takeoff
and landing. All that is needed is a vertiport – a compact specialized zone
that can be located on rooftops, near business centers, and major transport
hubs. Construction of the first such site has already begun in Alatau.
The unmanned electric aircraft is equipped with 13
motors and is designed to carry four to five passengers. It can reach speeds of
up to 200 kilometers per hour and operate at altitudes of up to 600 meters.
According to the developers, the air taxi is significantly quieter than
conventional vehicles, with a noise level of around 60 decibels. Such flights
require high-capacity charging stations. Experts believe that such aircraft
could help save time and reduce traffic congestion.
«The maximum range on a single charge from A to B is
250 kilometers. For the future passenger model, actually, because this is using
supercharger, so from 0 to 100%, it’s actually charging within one hour, maybe
45 to 50 minutes,» noted Kellen Xie, Senior Vice President of the air taxi
development company, China.
Alatau City was not chosen for pilot testing by chance. In the future, the aerial network is expected to connect the city with Almaty and tourist destinations across the Almaty region.
«The city of Alatau became one of the 11 locations.
Why Alatau specifically? Because the legal framework here allows for faster
progress. This enhances the attractiveness of our Alatau city project and
generates greater interest in it. The Head of State has designated the
territory of Alatau as an area of advanced development, and projects like this
further attract engineers and investors,» said the Almaty
region governor Marat Sultangaziyev.
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