Drone Tech Center Opens in Astana to Spur Innovation and Exchange

ASTANA — Astana Hub international technopark unveiled the Drone Tech Center on March 27, a facility aimed at fostering the exchange of experience and the development of innovative solutions in drone technologies, reported the Astana Hub press service. 

Guests at the opening of the center in Astana on March 27. Photo credit: Astana Hub

The event, organized by Astana Hub and Aardvark company, gathered top experts, business and education representatives, and the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan. 

“We are confident that the Drone Tech Center at Astana Hub will launch innovative projects in a wide range of fields using these devices. Our goal is to stimulate the emergence of advanced ideas and developments that will lead to the growth of our community and make a significant contribution to the development of the drone industry,” said Tanat Uskembayev, Astana Hub managing director.

The guests had the opportunity to learn about the prospects of the drone industry’s development in Kazakhstan and get acquainted with the practical aspects of working with drones, including virtual flights using virtual reality glasses and real devices in practice.

The center will also offer educational programs and initiatives.

“Drones are the future and a solution to a huge number of problems. I have worked and interacted with various companies around the world that are successful in the drone field. I am convinced that Kazakhstan can also achieve success in this direction,” said Dmitry Ivanov, Aardvark CEO.

Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles, have a wide range of applications across various sectors. They can be used in agriculture to monitor crop health, irrigation, planting, and spraying, as well as in search and rescue, disaster management, and environmental monitoring. 

Unmanned aerial vehicles were the focus of Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov’s recent visit to the Petropavlovsk Plant for Heavy Machine Building. 

The plant assembles two models of firefighting unmanned aerial vehicles. The first model is equipped with a system for dropping specialized canisters with fire-extinguishing substances to extinguish forest-steppe fires. The second is designed to extinguish fires in high-rise buildings by firing reactive projectiles into window openings, followed by the dispersion of a fire-extinguishing substance.

The plant is also negotiating with domestic enterprises to localize the production of electronic components, cable systems, and camera components. In the future, it plans to independently develop and improve the software for controlling drones.


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