Together Strong at Great Heights: VDL Mast Solutions Installs 5G Mast by Helicopter in Austria
We’ve installed countless masts by helicopter…
but even after all these years, it still gives us goosebumps to see a 20-meter steel mast hanging beneath a helicopter, swaying in the wind, with a team on the ground relying completely on each other. Because that’s what VDL Mast Solutions stands for:
people with craftsmanship, courage, and focus, making the impossible look like everyday routine.
Where Technology Meets Altitude
For our client A1 Telekom Austria, this latest installation marked another step forward in expanding the 5G network across the country. The newly installed lattice tower — carefully lifted and positioned by helicopter — will serve as an essential communication hub, providing fast and reliable connectivity even in the most remote mountain regions.
The towers, ranging from 20 to 75 meters in height, are preassembled in sections in the valley. A helicopter then transports each segment to the summit, where our technicians guide, align, and secure them, often under harsh conditions of wind, cold, and limited space.
It’s an impressive interplay between air and ground:
Helicopter pilots with unmatched precision and control,
Assembly teams with nerves of steel, focus, and trust,
Engineers and project managers who prepare every detail to perfection.
Trust, Teamwork and Craftsmanship
These projects demand more than just technical expertise, they require teamwork, coordination, and mutual trust, quite literally at the highest level. The cooperation between pilot and technician is a matter of perfect timing and blind confidence, there’s no room for error. We have deep respect for everyone who makes this possible: the pilots, the assembly teams, and our partners. Their professionalism makes all the difference and ensures that we can execute such complex operations safely and flawlessly.
A Legacy in steel
In recent years, VDL Mast Solutions Austria has produced, delivered, and installed nearly 1,000 lattice towers for A1 Telekom and EuroTeleSites (the tower company of A1). From flatlands to mountaintops, our towers form the backbone of modern communication, 4G, 5G, and beyond.
High-Altitude Performance with Heart and Courage
Yes, we’ve done it many times before. We’ve calculated, prepared, and executed it. But every time the rotor blades start turning and the mast slowly rises into the air, we still get goosebumps. Because this isn’t just about steel and bolts, it’s about our people, their craftsmanship, their courage, and their teamwork, together making the impossible possible.