The city of Alatau is preparing to implement a drone-based parcel delivery system. The project is expected to become one of the first large-scale aerial logistics in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, El.kz reports.
The global drone delivery market is growing rapidly, and the new city in the Almaty region is already being viewed as a testing ground for future technologies. If the project is fully realized, residents will be able to receive their orders by air within minutes.
How drone delivery will work
The system is based on technology where a user places an order via a mobile app, after which a drone automatically departs from a launch point to the destination.
Parcels will be delivered to specialized landing pads. The entire process is controlled via a digital platform that allows for real-time route tracking and management of operations without human.
Such solutions are becoming increasingly popular due to the rise of e-commerce. According to industry forecasts, the global drone delivery market could exceed $30 bln by 2030.
Experts believe that within the next decade, up to 30% of "last-mile" deliveries could shift from cars and motorcycles to drones. This primarily concerns small and urgent shipments.
Why Alatau?
Alatau appeared on the map of Kazakhstan in 2024 after the village of Zhetigen was transformed into a city of regional significance. The new settlement is located 47 km from Almaty and is developing as a territory with a special legal regime.
Authorities view the city as the country’s future technological hub. In March 2026, a special development regime was approved for Alatau, intended to accelerate investment and the implementation of innovative solutions.
The urban agglomeration covers an area of 88,000 hectares. This space allows for the development of next-generation infrastructure without the constraints typical of long-established metropolises.
Kazakhstan’s first digital city
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev previously stated that Alatau should become the country's first fully digital city. It is intended that urban services, transport, utility infrastructure, and the economy will operate based on AI and big data analysis.
Plans include creating a unified digital platform capable of regulating traffic lights, predicting loads on engineering networks, and identifying potential accidents before they occur.
To support these solutions, modern data processing centers are being built in the city. These will serve as the foundation for AI services and digital infrastructure.
Air taxis and the logistics of the future
Drone delivery is viewed as part of a larger transport system. Alatau also plans to develop a network of "quadroports" and infrastructure for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
It is expected that in the future, residents will be able to travel by air between Alatau, Almaty, and other regional settlements in about 15 minutes. This model is expected to significantly change traditional logistics and the transport accessibility of the agglomeration.
Logistics will be one of the four key zones of the new city. A multimodal hub called "SkyHub" is being created here, which will be linked to railway routes toward Khorgos and international transport corridors.
A city built for the future
Beyond transport technology, Alatau will serve as a platform for the development of AI, digital assets, international education, and environmental projects. Plans include opening a branch of KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), launching battery recycling plants, and implementing fully electric public transport.
The city also plans to construct the "Iconic Towers" complex, which is set to become a symbol of this new center of investment attraction.
Alatau is being created as an experimental site for technologies that may become a standard part of life in the coming years. Drone delivery is one of the first projects demonstrating what the city of the future in Kazakhstan could look like.
