ASTANA – Kazakhstan aims to develop its domestic drone industry by 2029, focusing on local manufacturing, digital flight management, workforce training and the use of unmanned systems across key economic sectors, the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development reported on Oct.
27. Eighteen government bodies, including the ministries of transport, defense and internal affairs, will coordinate efforts to establish common regulations, develop infrastructure and expand the use of drones while addressing public safety concerns. Photo credit: AI-generated image/ The Astana Times Domestic production and digital infrastructure Kazakhstan plans to introduce a unified digital platform for unmanned aircraft systems and automated traffic management (UTM).
The service will bring aircraft registration, applications and flight route approvals into one electronic system. To support local manufacturing, the government proposes incentives, public procurement preferences and long-term offtake contracts for companies registered with Astana Hub.
Support will target production of critical hardware, communications systems and secure software, rather than basic assembly alone. The country also aims to establish at least two research and development centers in partnership with universities and international technology companies and train at least 1,000 specialists, including engineers, drone operators, software developers and cybersecurity experts.
Drone education is expected to expand from schools to technical colleges and universities. Planned measures include aeromodelling classrooms, specialized equipment for science and technology education, updated university curricula and annual student competitions in unmanned technologies.
The government also wants to expand drone use in agriculture, energy, mining, logistics, municipal services, emergency monitoring and environmental protection. Relevant agencies will identify practical applications and develop guidelines and incentives for businesses and public institutions.
Supporting infrastructure will include vertiports, drone ports, automated charging stations, radio frequencies and satellite communication channels. A pilot project to test autonomous freight transportation is scheduled for 2027-2028. The government is considering transferring some oversight of drone operations to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, introducing mandatory liability insurance for drone owners, and setting cybersecurity requirements for communications.
Operator certificates would be issued through specialized public service centers. The ministry has invited domestic entrepreneurs, developers and engineers to submit projects with export potential and proposals for implementing the initiative. The broader objective is to build a domestic industry that can supply Kazakhstan’s economy and compete in international markets.