Lindiwe Matlali, founder and CEO of Swerfvalk.
South African technology entrepreneur Lindiwe Matlali has established Swerfvalk, a Johannesburg-based deep-tech company focused on developing and deploying mission-ready drone, artificial intelligence (AI) and counter-drone systems for complex operational environments.
Swerfvalk enters a local drone market that has matured rapidly over the past decade, with growing demand from infrastructure, security and industrial operators for compliant, scalable and data-driven aerial solutions.
Matlali, who is also founder of non-profit organisation Africa Teen Geeks, says the company was formed in response to gaps in how drone technology is currently deployed in SA.
The start-up focuses on integrated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems that combine hardware, software, sensing and operational workflows, rather than offering standalone drone platforms.
“Swerfvalk is a deep-tech aerial solutions company building advanced drone, AI and counter-drone systems for real world operational environments,” Matlali notes. “I founded Swerfvalk after seeing how fragmented most drone solutions were, especially in environments like South Africa, where infrastructure risk, security threats and operational complexity are high.
“The inspiration was to build locally relevant, resilient systems that actually solve problems on the ground, not just look good in demonstrations.”
Swerfvalk provides services across infrastructure inspection, security operations, counter-drone capability and data analytics. These include inspections of power lines, substations, pipelines, rail and road infrastructure, as well as aerial surveillance for high-risk and critical sites.
“We provide training, compliance support and operational readiness for organisations deploying drones. We also deliver data services such as mapping, thermal analysis, volumetrics and asset reporting.”
Matlali is also founder and CEO of IT company Apodytes and served as commissioner in president Cyril Ramaphosa’s 4IR commission.
The company partners with local drone manufacturers and collaborates with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research on research initiatives. It also works with England-based Lancaster University, which builds counter-drone systems for Swerfvalk.
“Our objectives are to strengthen local capability in advanced drone and counter-drone systems, reduce dependence on imported black box technologies, and enable compliant, scalable drone operations for business and government,” Matlali explains.
“We aim to improve safety, protect critical infrastructure, increase operational efficiency, and grow local skills and jobs in the drone ecosystem.”
Operationally, Swerfvalk runs a central intellectual property, product and compliance core, (operational framework) supported by deployment teams and certified delivery partners responsible for implementation, training and support. This model is designed to maintain quality, safety and IP control, while scaling operations, she adds.
Matlali says the company has identified strong growth opportunities in sectors where drones can directly reduce operational risk, cost and downtime.
“The strongest growth is in energy and utilities, mining, government and public safety, telecoms infrastructure, agriculture, and large industrial or logistics environments.”
She describes SA as one of the most mature commercial drone markets on the African continent, but notes that growth is increasingly constrained by regulation and lack of access to capital.
“South Africa’s drone industry has grown steadily over the past decade, with strong adoption across mining, agriculture, infrastructure, security and surveying. Growth has increasingly shifted from basic aerial imaging toward data-driven applications, such as analytics, inspection and automation.”
“The first barrier is regulation – licensing and certification processes remain complex, costly and slow to adapt to new use cases, which limits innovation and scale. The second barrier is access to funding and skills – many local start-ups struggle to secure capital, while high equipment and training costs restrict broader participation.”
Despite these challenges, Matlali asserts that regulatory compliance is essential for sustainable growth.
“Regulation is essential for safety and credibility. We design our operations around compliance from the start, which ultimately enables smoother scaling and lower risk deployments.”
