Flight Data Recorder Market Report 2026

The flight data recorder market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $1.47 billion in 2025 to $1.54 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.3%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to regulatory mandates for FDR installation, historical aircraft accident investigations, evolution from analog to digital recorders, historical improvements in data storage and retrieval, adoption in commercial and military aircraft.

The flight data recorder market size is expected to see steady growth in the next few years. It will grow to $1.83 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.4%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to integration with real-time data transmission, growth in next-generation aircraft safety systems, development of more robust crash-survivable recorders, adoption in UAVs and new aircraft types, expansion in maintenance and diagnostic data analytics. Major trends in the forecast period include adoption of wireless quick access recorders (qars), integration of advanced memory units for survivability, enhanced data link communication capabilities, development of digital flight data recorders with extended storage, growth in rotorcraft and business jet fdr installations.

The upsurge in air traffic is expected to drive the growth of the flight data recorder market going forward. Air traffic refers to the movement of aircraft within a specific area or along designated routes. Air traffic is increasing due to expanding globalization, as rising international trade and travel drive the need for efficient long-distance transportation, enhancing global connectivity and economic integration. Flight data recorders are essential in air traffic management for capturing and analyzing critical flight parameters to improve safety and support incident investigations. For instance, in November 2024, according to Eurostat, a Luxembourg-based statistical office of the European Union (EU), air travel in the EU reached 973 million passengers in 2023, representing a 19.3% increase compared to 2022. Therefore, the upsurge in air traffic is driving the growth of the flight data recorder market.

Major companies operating in the flight data recorder market are focusing on developing modular architectures integrated with CVFDR systems to enhance reliability, reduce weight, and improve operational flexibility. Modular architecture combined with CVFDR systems refers to flight data and cockpit voice recorders that consolidate multiple functions (audio, data link, and flight data) into a single unit with modular hardware and software components, allowing easier upgrades and flexible application across different aircraft types. For instance, in November 2023, HENSOLDT, a Germany-based sensor solutions provider, launched the SferiRec CVFDR, a combined Cockpit Voice and Flight Data Recorder (CVFDR) certified to ED112A, at European Rotors 2023 in Madrid. Key features include a lightweight design of just 2.8 kg, making it one of the lightest ED112A-certified combined recorders available. It offers field-loadable software, data retrieval without aircraft power, and a modular architecture capable of storing at least 25 hours of audio, data-link, and flight data within an integrated crash-protected memory module. The system is suitable for medium and large aircraft, complementing smaller platforms supported by the earlier SferiRec LCR100, and is certified under EASA ETSO standards.

In March 2025, TJC L.P., a U.S.-based private equity firm, acquired L3Harris’s Commercial Aviation Solutions (CAS) for $800 million. Through this acquisition, TJC aims to strengthen its presence in the commercial aviation sector by leveraging CAS’s advanced avionics and flight-data analytics capabilities to expand product offerings and enhance technological competitiveness. Commercial Aviation Solutions is a US-based provider of commercial avionics, flight-data recorders, pilot training systems, and flight-data analytics solutions for airlines and aircraft manufacturers.

Major companies operating in the flight data recorder market are Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Safran SA, Thales Group, L3Harris Technologies Inc., Leonardo S.p.A., Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc., Garmin Ltd., Saab AB, Honeywell International Inc., Bell Textron Inc., General Dynamics Corporation, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, CAE Inc., Meggitt PLC, FLIR Systems Inc., RUAG Group, Cobham plc, ASELSAN A.Ş., Universal Avionics Systems Corporation, ACR Electronics Inc., FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd., SLN Technologies Pvt. Ltd., AstroNova Inc.

North America was the largest region in the flight data recorder market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the flight data recorder market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

Tariffs on high-performance electronics, memory modules, and aerospace-grade components have increased production costs for flight data recorders, particularly affecting digital FDRs, CVRs, and QARs across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Airlines, OEMs, and MRO providers face delayed system upgrades and higher procurement costs, while positive impacts include encouragement of domestic component manufacturing, strengthened local supply chains, and accelerated innovation in resilient and cost-effective recorder technologies.

The flight data recorder market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides flight data recorder market statistics, including flight data recorder industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with flight data recorder market share, detailed flight data recorder market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the flight data recorder industry. This flight data recorder market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

A flight data recorder (FDR) is an essential device installed in aircraft to capture specific performance metrics during flight operations. It gathers and preserves data from diverse aircraft sensors on a durable medium engineered to withstand accidents. This critical tool serves investigators by providing vital information in the aftermath of accidents or incidents, aiding in the determination of root causes and contributing factors.

The primary types of flight data recorders encompass the flight data recorder (FDR), cockpit voice recorder (CVR), and quick access recorder (QAR). The flight data recorder device meticulously logs aircraft performance data to bolster safety measures and investigative procedures. It accommodates various aircraft types, including narrow-body, wide-body, rotorcraft, business jets, turboprops, and others. Integral components of the FDR include the memory unit, electronic controller board, input devices, power supply, signal beacon, among others. Its functions span parametric flight data recording, capturing flight crew audio, data link communication, and more, catering to a broad spectrum of end-users, including civil and commercial aircraft operators, military aviation, and helicopter operations.

The countries covered in the flight data recorder market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The flight data recorder market consists of sales of flight data acquisition units (FDAU), digital flight data recorders (DFDR), and emergency locator transmitters (ELT). Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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