<p>A concept of a flexible surface protection system (FEP) composed of hexagonal plates was presented, in which all six edges mechanically interlock with one another. Owing to the assembly clearance introduced between adjacent plates, the system can be applied to non-developable surfaces, both concave and convex. The plates were designed to be identical and additionally axisymmetric, which facilitates their manufacturing as well as automated or robotic installation. The material and size of the plates depend on the intended protective function or the desired modification of surface properties, ranging from purely aesthetic enhancement, through increased durability, to military-grade protection of buildings and vehicles. A design method for plates of arbitrary size was developed. Particular attention was given to the possibility of manufacturing the plates from industrial waste that is otherwise difficult to recycle, such as machining chips or fibres recovered from decommissioned wind turbine blades. A surface demonstrator was fabricated from 2-mm-thick steel sheet using plates with an outer dimension of 100&#xa0;mm. Considering military applications, a second demonstrator was produced from 20-mm-thick steel plate. In line with the objective of utilizing hard-to-recycle industrial waste, the third demonstrator was manufactured from a composite material based on epoxy resin containing aluminium chips. The 20-mm-thick plates were fabricated with a 2-mm offset relative to the mid-plane, which enabled coverage of surfaces with a curvature radius of 600&#xa0;mm. A patent application for the proposed system has been submitted.</p>