Chulalongkorn University and RV Connex Sign MoU "Partnership for the Future of Innovation" Spanning UAV, AI, Cybersecurity, C-UAS, Medical Technology, and Space Technology

Bangkok, 21 August 2026 — Chulalongkorn University and R V Connex Co., Ltd., Thailand's leading defence technology and unmanned aerial systems company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) titled "Partnership for the Future of Innovation" at Ruean Chulanarimitra, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. The agreement bridges the University's research capabilities and human capital with RV Connex's technical expertise and real-world operational challenges, with the aim of developing innovation that can be translated into tangible applications and lasting national benefit.

The world is changing rapidly. Unmanned aerial vehicle technology and artificial intelligence are no longer confined to the defence sector — they are increasingly shaping healthcare, infrastructure, and national security. For Thailand, the capacity to independently design, develop, and control critical technologies is a foundational pillar of long-term technological competitiveness and security.

The MoU encompasses six core technology domains: Unmanned and Autonomous Vehicle Systems, covering UAV, USV, UUV, UGV, Swarm Systems, and airspace traffic management (UTM/U-Space); Artificial Intelligence and Automation, from Machine Learning and Computer Vision to Generative AI and Edge AI; Cybersecurity, spanning Cyber Defence, OT/ICS Security, SOC, and Digital Forensics; Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS), covering detection, tracking, classification, and neutralisation; Medical Technology, including Medical AI, Telemedicine, and wearable medical devices; and Satellite and Space Technology, including 5G/6G, Digital Twin, and Big Data Analytics.

Under the MoU, both parties will jointly conduct research and development, build and test prototypes in real operational environments at Chulalongkorn University's Social Engagement Centre in Saraburi Province, facilitate technology transfer to industry, develop human capital, and establish a UAS Research, Development and Test Centre to support the research, development, and testing of unmanned aerial systems at the national level.

"National capability is not born in boardrooms, and it does not come from imports. It is built through the collaboration of people who share a common goal and work together to achieve it. Today we have unmanned aerial systems proven in real operations, and cybersecurity systems protecting organisations both in Thailand and abroad. More than 420 Thai engineers demonstrate this every day.

But building technology alone is not enough. If knowledge remains locked within a single organisation, when one generation completes its role, that knowledge may be lost with it. This is why the partnership with Chulalongkorn University matters — so that this knowledge can be transferred, cultivated in the next generation of researchers, and built into a sustainable national capability.

Our goal is to jointly create a centre of innovation in UAV and AI that belongs not to RV Connex or to Chulalongkorn University, but to Thailand."

— Associate Professor Dr. Sujate Jantarang, President, R V Connex Co., Ltd..

Chulalongkorn University is committed to elevating its role in the 21st century — moving beyond knowledge generation to driving innovation, developing human capital, and connecting research to real-world impact. The Social Engagement Centre will serve as a key venue for research and real-environment testing, supporting the transition of research outputs into industrial and societal applications.

"The role of a university in the 21st century is not simply to produce knowledge — it is to take that knowledge out of the laboratory and create genuine impact on the economy and society. This collaboration with RV Connex is not merely an MoU. It is the laying of a foundation for Chulalongkorn researchers to work on real problems, on real platforms, and to produce results that actually work. The Social Engagement Centre will not just be a testing ground — it will be a place where both technology and people grow together."

— Professor Dr. Rangsan Rerknimnit, M.D., Vice President, Chulalongkorn University

This collaboration aims to foster active engagement between researchers and specialists, knowledge exchange, prototype development, and the translation of research into real-world applications — alongside the cultivation of the next generation of researchers and skilled professionals — enabling continuous cycles of research, development, testing, technology transfer, and human capital development.

"What we expect from this partnership is not simply research published in journals — it is a new generation of researchers who understand both theory and the demands of real-world application. Innovation in drones, AI, and Cybersecurity can only grow sustainably when there are people in Thailand who can develop, test, and build upon these technologies themselves. That is what Chulalongkorn University and RV Connex are creating together."

— Associate Professor Dr. Jutamas Rattanawaraporn, Assistant Vice President for Innovation, Chulalongkorn University

Both parties share a common ambition: to build technological capability that belongs to Thailand — not to any single organisation. From UAVs with proven operational deployment to medical technologies that improve lives, this partnership connects knowledge, research, and engineering with real application, to create technology, human capital, and a robust innovation ecosystem for Thailand's long-term future.