HelixHold Passive C-UAS System

Physical protection against drone and UAV attacks

HelixHold protects defence sites, substations, fuel storage and other exposed assets with high-performance netting on a steel frame anchored by screw piles.

The system is designed, manufactured and prepared in advance, so only installation remains when protection is required.

Concept illustration: a substation enclosed by a steel frame and protective netting under a stormy sky
Discuss your site Watch the test footage

Engineered and supplied from Finland by Paalupiste.

The system

A complete system, from the ground up

Concept illustration: cross-section of a netted steel enclosure over transformers, with a screw pile below ground under each column 3Protective netting 2Steel frame 1Screw piles

  1. Screw pile foundations

    Screw piles anchor the frame and carry both downward loads and uplift. Where ground conditions allow, no excavation or poured concrete is needed.

  2. Steel frame

    The frame supports the net and carries wind and impact loads to the foundations. It can be built as a canopy or an enclosure, shaped to the asset and the space around it.

  3. Protective netting

    The net is specified to intercept a drone before it reaches the protected equipment. Mesh size, tension, the number of net layers and clearance are matched to the threat agreed for the project.

Risk management

The layer that remains when others fail

Detection and active counter-UAS (C-UAS) measures lower the chance of a drone reaching the asset. They cannot rule it out. HelixHold is the physical barrier for the risk that remains, and it works without power, software or an operator.

  1. DetectionWarns of the threat
  2. Active C-UASTry to stop the drone
  3. HelixHoldPhysical barrier at the asset
2:18 Watch the concept filmHow HelixHold is prepared, installed and used

Preparation

Prepared in advance, installed when needed

The system is designed for the site, and the frame and netting are manufactured and stored in advance. Where ground conditions allow, the screw piles are installed and capped while the site stays in use.

When protection is required, only installation remains. The site can prepare for a higher threat level without keeping the full structure in place every day. The same system can also be installed straight away.

In advance

Concept illustration: rolls of netting, frame steel and screw piles stored on pallets
01Designed and manufacturedThe frame and netting are made to the site design, then stored.
Concept illustration: a capped foundation point in the gravel beside a site fence
02Foundations installedScrew piles are installed and capped at or below ground level.

When needed

Concept illustration: a technician lifts the cap off a prepared foundation point at a substation
03Foundation points openedThe capped piles are uncovered, ready for the frame.
Concept illustration: a crane raises arched frame sections over a substation
04Frame and netting fittedThe frame is bolted to the piles and the netting fitted.

Impact test

See the impact test

A Shahed-class drone mock-up is launched into a net panel on a steel test frame. The test round used high impact loads. In the footage, the net catches the mock-up and holds it.

200+kg
drone mock-up mass
4 × 4m
net panel size
Real test footage
Paalupiste team member watching the netting on the steel test frame
Close-up of the protective netting used in the test

Protection specified for each site

The required protection level is agreed first, and the netting, frame and foundations are specified to match it. The clearance between the net and the asset allows for how far the net moves on impact. Double or triple net layers are common, and ballistic protection can be added where needed.

Applications

Where HelixHold can be used

Concept illustration: an arched netted frame over substation transformers

Energy and utilities

Substations, battery storage and pumping stations.

Concept illustration: a netted enclosure over armoured vehicles at a depot

Defence

Defence industry plants, depots and vehicle parks.

Concept illustration: a truck carrying netting rolls and frame steel at a port gate

Industrial and logistics

Ports, terminals, logistics yards and industrial plant.

Concept illustration: a netted dome over a group of fuel tanks

Fuel and storage

Tank farms, loading areas and exposed fuel storage.

Scope and supplier

Designed and supplied by Paalupiste

Full delivery scope

Complete system
  1. 01

    Design

    One load-bearing system, to the Eurocodes or national standards.

  2. 02

    Screw piles

    Foundations with connection points for the frame.

  3. 03

    Steel frame

    Frame and connections, designed for the site and the asset.

  4. 04

    Protective netting

    Specified for the agreed drone threat, with spare nets as needed.

Agreed per project

  • Foundations installed in advance
  • Storage of frame and netting
  • Installation by the HelixHold team or the customer’s own team

Paalupiste Oy, Finland

Paalupiste designs, manufactures and installs foundations and steel structures. Projects have been delivered across Europe and in the US.

700,000+
piles delivered
25+
years in foundation engineering
  • EN 1090
  • ISO 9001
  • ISO 14001
Screw piles being installed with an excavator on a paved city site

Questions

Common questions

Yellow dummy drone in flight towards the net on the steel test frameReal test
Could HelixHold suit our site?

Suitability depends on the asset, the drone threat, the space around it and the ground conditions. A general description of the site is enough to discuss the protection and foundation options.

Can the system be installed without screw piles?

Yes. Where shallow bedrock or buried services prevent piling, the frame can stand on concrete counterweights. Where piles can be used, installation is usually simpler and more efficient.

What makes this different from a standard net or fence?

HelixHold specifies the net, its fixings, the frame and the foundations together for drone impact. Buying netting alone leaves the frame, the connections and the foundations to be solved separately.

Does HelixHold replace detection or jamming?

No. It works alongside them as a passive barrier if a drone reaches the asset.

How are cost and lead time determined?

They depend on the protected area, the protection level, the structure, the ground conditions and the installation scope. Once these are defined, we prepare a proposal with price and delivery schedule.

With a staged installation, the foundations can be scheduled first.

How quickly can the system be installed?

It depends on the site and the size of the structure. With the frame and netting already manufactured and the foundations in place, the work starts far ahead of a project that begins from zero.

What happens after an impact?

The net panels can be replaced. The delivery can include spare nets, so the protection can be restored quickly after an impact.

What information is needed for a first enquiry?

A general description of the asset, its approximate size and the timing is enough to start. The drone threat can be included if it is already known. The detailed requirements are worked through together.

How should we share sensitive project information?

The form and email are suitable only for a general, non-sensitive introduction. Drawings, layouts and detailed asset information are shared only through a secure channel agreed in advance.

What can we cover in a technical discussion?

Structures are designed to the Eurocodes or the applicable national standards.

HelixHold can be designed for UAS Group 3-4 impact and, in special configurations, Group 5 threats, as classified by the US Department of Defense. Group 3 includes one-way attack (OWA) drones such as the Shahed 136. The classification criteria and design assumptions are discussed in confidence for each project. Delivered projects are confidential and are not published.

Contact

Discuss your site

Find out whether HelixHold suits the site and how a project would proceed. Leave an email address or phone number. A general description of the asset is enough to start.

An email address or phone number is enough to begin. Everything else is optional.
Project details (optional)

Area to protect

Information available

Further reading

Technical insights

HelixHold concept film