How drone delivery works in Kazakhstan: an interview with Yeljan Esimseitov

Erlan Esimseitov, Executive Director of Freedom Lifestyle Group

Delivery Without Couriers: How It Works

We are building a comprehensive autonomous logistics system—a platform that operates as a single, integrated chain.

First, a drone departs from the warehouse and delivers the order to a drone kiosk. Currently, we mainly serve the private sector, but in reality, most people live in residential complexes. Therefore, the next stage involves delivering directly to such locations.

Next, a robot dog retrieves the order from the drone kiosk. It travels to the building entrance, where either a concierge assists or, in the future, the robots themselves will be equipped with manipulators to hand over the order.

It is important to note that we are not creating individual products, but a unified autonomous delivery complex where each element is part of the overall system.

The Most Challenging Part: The "Last Meters"

At first glance, it might seem that the drones are the main focus, but in practice, the most complex part is the "last mile" delivery—that is, from the drop-off point to the user's door.

The robot dog is a complex technology from an artificial intelligence perspective. In the initial stage, it was manually controlled by operators, but it will eventually become fully autonomous.

In essence, the system operates on the principle of a robot vacuum cleaner: it first scans the space and then builds a route. The robot independently identifies obstacles using artificial intelligence and navigates around them—this is a key element of the entire system.

What Limits the System Right Now

When it comes to scaling, today's expansion primarily depends on infrastructure.

Currently, drones depart from our warehouses—including those of Arbuz—and have a range of up to three kilometers with a full load. A full load consists of parcels weighing up to 10 kilograms. In this mode, a drone can fly three kilometers one way.

Consequently, the key limitation is the location of warehouses. This directly determines the service coverage area.

However, there are also external factors. For example, in northern cities like Astana, weather has a significant impact: there are many days with non-flying conditions due to wind and temperature. Additionally, flights are only conducted during daylight hours.

The second factor is regulation. Our documentation is in order: we have licenses, flight permits, and trained operators. However, Astana is a government city, and for security reasons, restrictions on small aircraft flights are periodically imposed there.

In other cities, it is easier. For instance, in Almaty, we operate without significant restrictions—all necessary approvals from state authorities are in place.

How Delivery Scales

Despite the limitations, the model is quite clear in terms of growth.

As we launch in new cities, we expand our coverage. For example, the official launch in Shymkent is scheduled for April 20.

In the future, development will proceed through a network of dark stores and small warehouses, which will allow us to increase the delivery radius and reach.

Thus, scaling is primarily a question of infrastructure, not technology.