Rothesay, New Brunswick-based Aerial Vehicle Safety Solutions has won approval from the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration for its parachute systems to be used as a “means of compliance” for drone operators to meet legal requirements related to safety equipment.

In particular, AVSS said in a statement its system can be used to comply with the FAA’s “flight over people” rules for small, unmanned aircraft. The company has been pursuing the means of compliance certification since 2020.

The process was developed under a partnership with Ottawa-based Biokinetics — a private research institution focused on the science of impacts.

“This AVSS (means of compliance) is a major step for the US market and will directly benefit AVSS’s parachute recovery system end users and manufacturers," said the company in a statement. "Instead of applying for a waiver … pilots simply need the required drone and parachute combination from AVSS.”

Led by chief executive Josh Ogden, the 2017-founded AVSS’ first product was a parachute system to catch drones that had suffered engine failures, protecting both the equipment and anyone standing below them. More recently, Ogden's team also launched a Guided Delivery System, which helps drones deliver packages to remote locations.

Last fall, AVSS was one of three startups to win out of a field of 17 at Pitch the Press — a high-profile competition at the Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas.