Apco Defense & Security was born from over five decades of aviation excellence at Apco Aviation. What began as pioneering work in lightweight flight has grown into a dedicated division serving the defense, aerospace, and security sectors worldwide.
Building on our heritage in sports aviation, Apco Defense & Security develops mission-ready textile solutions — from UAV recovery parachutes and high-speed deployment systems to ballistic airbags and custom decelerators. Trusted by military, government, and civilian organizations, we bring field-tested innovation to the most demanding operational environments.
Our goal is simple: deliver reliable, compact, and mission-specific solutions that protect lives, secure assets, and solve real-world challenges.
Our Recovery & Airdrop Capabilities Include:
Apco Aviation, founded in 1973, is one of the world’s longest-standing leaders in lightweight flight. Starting with hang gliders and ultralights, our expertise quickly expanded to paragliders, paramotors, and powered parachutes (PPC), shaping the evolution of modern sports aviation.
In the late 1970s, we introduced the legendary Mayday parachute — the first commercially available reserve parachute for free flight. Originally a military-grade round canopy, the Mayday evolved into a full range of certified rescue parachutes in multiple sizes and configurations, trusted by tens of thousands of pilots worldwide.
For more than five decades, Apco Aviation has combined aerodynamic engineering, textile innovation, and in-house manufacturing to produce record-breaking wings and life-saving parachutes. This unmatched foundation is what powers Apco Defense & Security today.
Every project begins with a clear understanding of mission objectives. We work closely with our partners to identify payload parameters, aerodynamic targets, environmental conditions, and operational constraints. This ensures the foundation of each system is aligned with performance goals, budget, and timeline
Our engineering team combines aerodynamic modeling, structural analysis, and advanced textile expertise to design the most efficient system for every mission. Drawing on decades of proven experience from projects worldwide, we carefully evaluate each parameter — from deployment altitude and speed to payload weight and environmental conditions.
Because no two missions are the same, we present our partners with multiple solution paths, each with its own advantages and trade-offs. For example, a ram-air canopy provides excellent steerability and glide range, while a round or cruciform parachute delivers simplicity, strength, and cost-effectiveness. Likewise, inflatable airbags or ballistic deployment systems can be selected depending on whether the priority is fast reaction time, lightweight design, or reusability.
This structured approach ensures that every partner receives a mission-specific, optimized solution that balances safety, reliability, and efficiency.
With in-house production and a full range of raw materials in stock, Apco transforms concepts into working prototypes with short turnaround times. Through laser cutting, precision stitching, and advanced textile assembly, we can rapidly build and test multiple configurations when required.
Each prototype undergoes rigorous testing and validation, allowing us to compare solution options and identify the best match for the mission. Only after this stage do we move into serial production, ensuring that every system performs reliably under real-world conditions.
