Feb 05, 2026
Air taxi from Alatau city will fly to Almaty and other cities of the Almaty region. The Joby Aviation S4 aircraft will be designed for four passengers, and their tests will take place in 2026, according to the Almaty region akimat in response to a request from Kursiv.
The regional administration said that the private company Alatau Advance Air Group has become the air mobility operator in Alatau. It is working with partners from the US, South Korea, China, and Italy to research and test aircraft, as well as preparing a test environment in Alatau.
The American company Joby Aviation and its S-4 model have become strategic partner in organizing the first air taxi in Kazakhstan. The mayor's office noted that the company is a leading global manufacturer of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which is at an advanced stage of certification with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and has flight experience.
The characteristics of the aircraft, which may become an air taxi in Alatau, are as follows: capacity – 4 passengers and a pilot, flight range – up to 160 km with energy reserve, maximum – 241 km, speed – up to 320 km/h.