Hollande said the intelligence gathered from the surveillance flights would inform the government’s decision on whether to launch air strikes against IS militant targets.
The French president said the flights would start as early as Tuesday and in coordination with the US-led coalition fighting the IS-group.
The Socialist president ruled out sending ground forces to Syria, saying such a move would be “ineffective and unrealistic”.
Regarding Europe's unfolding refugee crisis, he said that France would accept 24,000 over the next two years.
Widely anticipated
Hollande made the announcements during his highly-anticipated twice-yearly press conference at the Elysée Palace in Paris
He also addressed Europe’s refugee crisis, this year’s UN climate conference in Paris and other domestic issues.
The president’s announcement on Syria was widely anticipated in the French press, after newspaper Le Monde quoted unnamed government sources as saying Paris would likely change its strategy in Syria.
Global events influenced change
Hollande said several factors – including the foiled terrorist attack on a Paris-bound train in August, the thousands of migrants trying to reach Europe, and the shocking photo of the body of three-year old Ayland Kurdi washed up on a beach in Turkey last week – had influenced his decision.
French air strikes have so far been limited to Iraq, in response to specific demands by the Iraqi government for military assistance.
According to a survey conducted by the Odoxa polling institute, 61% of French are in favour of their country taking part in a coalition sending ground troops to Syria to fight the IS group.
