France to deliver VTOL UAVs to Madagascar Armed Forces

France and Madagascar signed an agreement on October 6 covering unmanned aircraft deliveries and operator training, with France pledging 100 drones before the end of 2026. A first aircraft was handed over during a visit to Franco-Malagasy manufacturer AerialMetric, and pilots are already training with French forces based on La Réunion. Images showed a hybrid fixed-wing design using electric rotors for vertical takeoff and a piston-powered pusher propeller for forward flight. Madagascar separately described an initial 20-aircraft batch for surveillance and communications relay over southern waters, alongside the broader reconnaissance program.