Aircraft Flight Recorder Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented by Type (Flight Data Recorder (FDR), Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), and Cockpit Voice and Data Recorder (CVDR)), By End-User (Civil and Commercial Aviation and Military Aviation), By Region and By Competition Forecast 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 119.53 Million
CAGR (2026-2031)	6.21%
Fastest Growing Segment	Civil
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 171.58 Million

Market Overview

The Global Aircraft Flight Recorder Market will grow from USD 119.53 Million in 2025 to USD 171.58 Million by 2031 at a 6.21% CAGR. The Global Aircraft Flight Recorder Market encompasses the manufacturing of Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVR) and Flight Data Recorders (FDR), devices essential for preserving audio and flight parameters to aid accident investigations. The sector is primarily driven by stringent safety mandates from regulatory bodies requiring comprehensive data capture on an expanding variety of airframes. Furthermore, the sustained increase in global air traffic necessitates fleet expansion, thereby generating consistent demand for both line-fit installations on new aircraft and mandatory upgrades for existing fleets.

However, the high cost associated with retrofitting legacy aircraft to meet modern standards poses a significant challenge, potentially delaying compliance among smaller operators. Despite this hurdle, the market benefits from a strong manufacturing environment. According to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, in 2024, the value of airplane deliveries through the second quarter increased by 24.2% to $11.3 billion compared to the previous year. This robust production activity underscores the continued necessity for flight recorder units, even as the industry navigates financial and operational complexities.

Key Market Drivers

Stringent International Aviation Safety Regulations and Compliance Mandates serve as a primary catalyst for technological evolution and market procurement within the avionics sector. Regulatory bodies such as the EASA and the FAA are continually harmonizing standards to extend Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) duration to 25 hours, necessitating the adoption of advanced solid-state memory technologies with higher storage capacities. These mandates compel operators to replace outdated magnetic tape or limited-capacity units with modern, crash-survivable systems, ensuring that accident investigators have access to comprehensive data. The financial scale of these safety initiatives is substantial. According to the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, May 2024, in the 'FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024', the legislation authorizes more than $105 billion in appropriations for the Federal Aviation Administration through 2028 to enhance safety operations and equipment standards.

Expansion of Global Commercial and Military Aircraft Fleets directly fuels the volume of line-fit installations required by airframe manufacturers. As airlines recover from historical disruptions, they are aggressively ordering new fuel-efficient aircraft, each requiring a mandated suite of CVR and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) units to maintain airworthiness. This growth is evidenced by long-term procurement strategies from major OEMs. According to Boeing, July 2024, in the 'Commercial Market Outlook 2024–2043', the aerospace company projects a long-term global demand for approximately 44,000 new commercial airplanes over the next 20 years. This surge in airframe production correlates with rising passenger numbers, creating a continuous cycle of demand for flight safety hardware. According to the International Air Transport Association, in 2024, total global passenger demand for June increased by 9.1% compared to the same month in the previous year, signaling a robust operational climate that underscores the critical need for reliable flight data acquisition systems.

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Key Market Challenges

The high capital expenditure required to retrofit legacy aircraft with modern flight recording systems constitutes a significant impediment to market expansion. While new airframes come equipped with compliant technology, integrating advanced Cockpit Voice Recorders and Flight Data Recorders into older fleets involves substantial financial outlays beyond the hardware purchase, including complex engineering, certification costs, and operational downtime. For smaller regional operators and cargo carriers utilizing aging fleets, these expenses often represent a disproportionate percentage of the aircraft's residual value, creating a strong economic disincentive to upgrade until absolutely mandated by regulatory deadlines.

This financial sensitivity is exacerbated by the industry's tight operating margins, which restrict discretionary spending on non-revenue-generating equipment. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), in 2024, the global airline industry was projected to achieve a net profit margin of just 3.1%. Such slim profitability forces operators to prioritize essential operational costs over avionics upgrades, directly hampering the addressable market for recorder manufacturers in the retrofit segment. Consequently, despite stricter safety mandates, the pace of technology adoption in existing fleets remains sluggish, limiting the overall revenue potential for flight recorder suppliers.

Key Market Trends

The Transition to Real-Time Wireless Flight Data Streaming is fundamentally reshaping the market by moving beyond passive onboard storage to active, immediate data transmission. This shift is critical for military and commercial operators who require instant access to flight parameters for rapid anomaly detection and to eliminate the risk of data loss in deep-sea recovery scenarios. The demand for such high-bandwidth, robust transmission architecture is evident in recent major defense procurements. According to Curtiss-Wright, June 2025, in the 'Curtiss-Wright Awarded $80 Million IDIQ Contract by U.S. Air Force to Provide High-Speed Data Acquisition Technology' press release, the company secured an $80 million contract to deliver high-speed data acquisition systems that support advanced recording and network capabilities, underscoring the substantial capital now flowing into real-time connected recorder technologies.

Simultaneously, the Development of Compact Recorders for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) is accelerating as drones increasingly integrate into shared civil airspace. Manufacturers are engineering miniaturized, "Size, Weight, and Power" (SWaP) optimized recorders to meet rigorous certification standards without compromising the payload efficiency of smaller airframes. This trend is being propelled by the urgent safety need to track and analyze unmanned traffic incidents amidst rising operational density. According to Unmanned Airspace, June 2025, in the 'Recorded encounters between drones, piloted aircraft in European cities doubled in 2024' report, data from the Eurocontrol ACUTE project revealed that detected close encounters reached 3,833 in 2024, a figure more than double the previous year, highlighting the critical market imperative for compliant recording solutions on autonomous platforms.

Segmental Insights

The Civil segment is currently the fastest-growing category in the Global Aircraft Flight Recorder Market, primarily driven by the extensive expansion of commercial airline fleets to accommodate rising global passenger traffic. This growth is further accelerated by stringent safety protocols enforced by regulatory authorities such as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration. These institutions have introduced mandates requiring the installation of recorders with extended data retention capabilities to improve accident investigation standards. Consequently, the legal requirement to equip both new and existing aircraft with compliant recording systems is fueling significant demand within the civil aviation sector.

Regional Insights

North America maintains a leading position in the global aircraft flight recorder market due to stringent safety regulations and a robust aviation manufacturing sector. The Federal Aviation Administration enforces rigorous mandates regarding the installation and maintenance of flight data collection systems, compelling airlines to upgrade equipment frequently. Additionally, the region benefits from a high concentration of key aircraft manufacturers and a significant volume of commercial air traffic. These factors collectively drive the continuous demand for flight recorders as operators seek compliance with evolving safety standards and aim to enhance fleet reliability.

Recent Developments

• In November 2024, Honeywell and Curtiss-Wright Corporation announced the availability of the Honeywell Connected Recorder-25, a combined cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder designed for commercial airliners. This new product was developed to comply with the Federal Aviation Administration's 25-hour recording mandate enacted in the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act. The recorder, which was type-certified for Boeing 737, 767, and 777 aircraft, features advanced connectivity that allows for real-time data streaming and rapid access to aircraft performance metrics. This collaboration leverages Honeywell’s data capabilities and Curtiss-Wright’s hardware expertise to enhance flight safety and investigation efficiency.
• In October 2024, the Defense Solutions division of Curtiss-Wright was selected by Scientific Research Corporation to support the production and modernization of flight recorders for the T-6 Texan II trainer aircraft fleet. Under this contract, the company will supply a variant of its Fortress crash-survivable recorder, which integrates a cockpit voice recorder, flight data recorder, and data acquisition capabilities into a single lightweight unit. This agreement ensures that the trainer aircraft operated by the United States Air Force, Navy, and Army are equipped with modern recording technology that meets stringent crash survivability standards and supports military flight operations quality assurance programs.
• In July 2024, L3Harris Technologies secured a significant avionics contract with Air India to serve as the lead supplier of voice and data recorders for the airline's Boeing 737-8 fleet. The agreement involves equipping an initial 100 aircraft with the SRVIVR25 cockpit voice and flight data recorders, with an option for additional units in the future. This deal marks the first major avionics partnership between the two organizations since the airline's acquisition by the Tata Group. The selected recorders are designed to provide extended recording durations and facilitate timely data recovery, directly supporting the airline's operational safety and efficiency goals.
• In June 2024, Universal Avionics, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, announced a contract to supply its KAPTURE cockpit voice and flight data recorders to Textron Aviation for installation on various Cessna Citation business jets. These sixth-generation recorders were chosen for their compliance with the latest regulatory mandates, including the requirements for 25-hour recording capacity. The system offers enhanced data collection and retrieval capabilities, allowing operators to quickly analyze flight data for maintenance and safety monitoring. This selection highlights the growing demand for modern, compliant recording solutions in the business aviation sector to meet evolving international standards.

Key Market Players

• Aversan Inc.
• L3Harris Technologies, Inc.
• The General Electric Company
• Curtiss-Wright Corporation
• Elbit Systems Ltd.
• Safran
• Niron Systems & Projects
• Leonardo S.p.A
• Flight Data Systems
• Honeywell International Inc.

By End-User	By Region
Civil and Commercial Aviation and Military Aviation	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Aircraft Flight Recorder Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Aircraft Flight Recorder Market, By End-User:

• Civil and Commercial Aviation and Military Aviation

• Aircraft Flight Recorder Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE