Zippermast

Zippermast GmbH is a family-run company from Bad Reichenhall in southern Bavaria. It develops and builds the ZIPPERMAST, a compact, mobile mast system that the company describes as a smart sensor hub, and also offers system integration, project coordination and dual-use solutions. It is a member of the German security and defence industry association BDSV.

The mast works on the zipper principle: metal bands stored on reels interlock as the mast extends to form a rigid column, so the system stays flat and low when retracted. Zippermast systems can be used on their own or mounted on vehicles and other platforms. One configuration, the ZM_10-060 with a maximum height of six metres and a gyro-stabilised EO/IR sensor, has been shown on snowmobiles and Polaris MRZR vehicles for special forces reconnaissance.

The masts carry sensors and effectors for defence, security and critical infrastructure users. They are frequently combined with robots to monitor critical infrastructure, especially in the energy sector, and the company also develops rugged camera housings for police observation.