Technology 23 September 2025 - 25 September 2025

Madagascar is undergoing a major shift in its drone laws. Until recently, the country maintained one of the most restrictive stances on recreational drones in the world: personal drone flights were essentially prohibited in public spaces Drone Traveller. Only commercial operators could apply for permission on a case-by-case basis, and even those permits were difficult to obtain. The Civil Aviation Directorate required extensive paperwork – including approvals from the Ministry of Defense and local authorities for each flight, a detailed flight plan, proof of insurance, and a risk analysis – just to authorize a single drone operation Drone Traveller Drone Traveller. In fact, permits were generally not granted to private hobbyists at all, meaning if you weren’t a registered business, you legally could not fly outdoors Drone Traveller. This blanket restriction led many tourists and local enthusiasts to either leave their drones at home or fly covertly, as entering Madagascar with a drone risked confiscation at customs without a permit Reddit. Enforcement of the old rules was sporadic – observers noted that Madagascar has “a lot of unenforced laws”, and drones were no exception Reddit. In practice, some visitors did manage to bring and fly drones, though they did so