Kazakhstan plans full-cycle drone production under 2026-2029 program

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 27. Kazakhstan plans to establish full-cycle domestic drone production under its Comprehensive Plan for the Development of Unmanned Systems for 2026-2029, according to the press service of the country's Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.

“The plan's strategic objective is not merely to support large-unit assembly, but to establish fully sovereign, full-cycle production, from hardware components and communication systems to secure software,” the ministry said.

Priority state support will be provided to enterprises focused on establishing competitive production facilities capable of entering foreign markets.

To this end, the production of unmanned systems will be included among priority digital activities. Preferential measures and exemptions from the national treatment regime in public procurement will be introduced, along with long-term offtake contract mechanisms for Astana Hub residents, including state defense orders and the quasi-public sector.

The plan also предусматривает efforts to simplify the import of raw materials and components and remove barriers to the subsequent export of finished products.

It provides for transferring some state functions related to the oversight and supervision of unmanned system operations and circulation to Kazakhstan's Ministry of Internal Affairs. At the same time, work is underway on introducing mandatory liability insurance for drone owners, regulating cybersecurity requirements for communication channels, and issuing operator certificates through specialized public service centers.

The plan was approved by a government resolution dated October 13, 2026.

The document establishes a unified legal framework, lays the groundwork for digital and physical infrastructure, and promotes domestic production and the full-scale integration of autonomous technologies into the real economy.

The strategic document was developed following an instruction issued by the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan on April 10, 2026, tasking the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development with consolidating fragmented segments of the market and providing systematic impetus to the development of the country's unmanned systems industry.

Eighteen government bodies have been involved in its practical implementation, including the ministries of transport, defense and internal affairs, national security authorities, financial regulators and sectoral ministries, as well as regional administrations, development institutions and quasi-public companies.

The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development is responsible for coordinating the implementation of the document, in line with its mandate to introduce breakthrough technologies and drive digital transformation.