CSIR
South Africa's state Science and technology research council, set up by statute in 1945.
The CSIR is working with Dinkwanyana Aerospace and Twiga on an early-stage uncrewed land vehicle, Dinkwanyana told South Africa's AAD 2026 defence show in September, defenceWeb reported. Dinkwanyana gave no specifications or funding figures.
Last refreshed: 7 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Is the CSIR building South Africa's first home-grown ground robot?
Background
The CSIR, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, is South Africa's state Science and technology research council. Parliament created it through the Scientific Research Council Act of 1945, and its main campus is in Pretoria. It is described as Africa's largest research and development organisation.
Its work spans the built environment, defence, peace, safety and security, materials and manufacturing, and natural resources. In defence it acts as a technology partner to the South African National Defence Force and to local industry; it is developing a low-cost target drone for the defence force.
In September 2026 Dinkwanyana Aerospace said at the AAD show that it is working with the CSIR and Twiga on an early-stage uncrewed land vehicle, defenceWeb reported. The three partners gave no specifications or funding figures.
