Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) manufacturer Windracers has been awarded a contract by the World Food Programme (WFP) to support humanitarian efforts in Madagascar.
While details of the agreement are yet to be announced, the World Food Programme has a long-standing presence helping those in need living on the world’s fourth largest island.
According to the United Nations (UN) organization, 1.7 million of the country’s 31 million population are “facing high levels of acute food insecurity” and 38.6% of children are suffering from chronic malnutrition.
While Windracers’ heavy lift drone, ULTRA MK2, has received much praise for its wide-ranging operational capabilities, particularly supporting Ukrainian troops in their war against Russia, the UK start-up’s roots lie in finding low-cost solutions to deliver humanitarian assistance around the world.
In 2004, the World Food Programme published a four year-strategic plan for Madagascar indicating that the African island “faces endemic poverty, food insecurity, inequality, rapid population growth and urbanization, and significant dependence on subsistence agriculture”.
“In this context, the country strategic plan for 2024–2028 is guided by the vision to ‘transform food systems and social protection for a resilient Madagascar’, based on the humanitarian-development nexus approach adopted by the Government,” said the World Food Programme.
According to the organization, drones are already used to deliver food and other humanitarian supplies, in particularly hard-to-reach areas, mainly in the southeast of the country.
“These innovations help ensure that life-saving assistance reaches the most vulnerable people swiftly and efficiently,” said the World Food Programme.
News of the collaboration comes as Windracers announced its ULTRA drone can now fly up to 2,000km in a single flight.
At a special launch event on January 16, 2025, Windracers said its drone will be configured to carry 100kg over 2,000km, with 200kg over the same distance available in coming months.