APCO Aviation Defense helps define safety and testing requirements, prepare documentation, and coordinate with accredited certification laboratories in line with relevant EN standards.
Human-rated certification needs to begin with a clear understanding of what must be demonstrated and which requirements apply to the system.
At this stage, both teams align on:
APCO Aviation Defense supports this process so the recovery or protection system can move toward certification with a defined technical and testing direction.
Human-rated certification is carried out through an accredited certification laboratory.
Before the system reaches that stage, the product and testing program need to be prepared around the requirements that will be independently evaluated.
Depending on the system, this may involve:
This helps ensure that the certification program evaluates the system against the conditions and performance criteria that matter for the intended application.
The formal EN certification is obtained through an accredited external certification laboratory.
Working with an independent laboratory provides objective evidence that the required tests have been completed and that the results have been evaluated against the applicable certification requirements.
Depending on the project, this can support:
For emerging human-carrying applications such as next-generation VTOL platforms and air taxis, independent certification can also provide an important basis for demonstrating that recovery-system performance has been evaluated against defined human-safety requirements.
By the end of this stage, your team has a clearer certification basis and documented evidence for the recovery or protection system.
Depending on the project, this may include:
The project moves forward with the system evaluated against defined safety and performance requirements rather than relying only on internal design assumptions.
Compact textile solutions help reduce integration burden and support prototypes, small production runs and larger project needs without requiring large batches.
Net materials, deployment logic and structural behavior are evaluated for the application.
Selection and development are guided by the operating conditions and the validation required.
Solutions are shaped around what must be recovered, captured or protected.
APCO Aviation Defense combines decades of aviation and parachute experience with the development and testing of recovery and protection systems for demanding applications.
Our approach considers the complete certification requirement — including deployment, opening loads, descent performance, structural integrity, impact and the conditions the system must safely support.
That experience helps us prepare recovery and protection systems for rigorous testing and work with accredited external laboratories to support the path toward independent human-rated certification.
Together, we will turn your requirements into a clear technical direction and a solution built to preserve what matters most.
Practical guidance on UAV recovery, parachute systems and protective textiles from APCO’s engineering team.
Human-rated certification evaluates whether a system intended to protect or carry people meets defined safety and performance requirements. Depending on the application, this can include requirements for strength, deployment, opening loads, descent performance and impact conditions.
No. Formal EN certification is obtained through an accredited external certification laboratory. APCO Aviation Defense supports the preparation, testing program and technical process required to move the system toward independent certification.
The current certification service is aligned with relevant EN European Norm requirements. The specific standard and certification pathway depend on the system, application and customer requirements.
Depending on the system, testing may include parachute shock and load tests, deployment testing, drop testing, opening-force and descent-rate measurements, impact measurements, structural strength testing and airbag performance evaluation.
Yes. Depending on the application and certification program, testing can include helicopter deployment and helicopter drop testing to evaluate system behavior under relevant aerodynamic and deployment conditions.
The existing certification service identifies next-generation VTOL and air-taxi systems as applications where independent testing and proof of safety may be particularly important. The specific certification requirements would need to be defined for the particular platform and relevant authorities.
Independent certification provides objective evidence that defined tests have been completed and evaluated by an accredited external body. This can support proof of safety, program review, procurement requirements and human-rated applications.
Certification requirements should be considered early enough for the relevant safety, performance and testing requirements to influence development. This helps avoid reaching the end of development with a system that has not been prepared for the tests or evidence required for certification.
