Flight Data Recorder Market Report 2025

This report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market’s historic and forecast market growth by geography.

The flight data recorder market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $1.39 billion in 2024 to $1.47 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to regulatory mandates, increased awareness of the importance of flight safety, the transition from analog to digital recording systems, global air traffic growth, and industry standardization.

The flight data recorder market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $1.82 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to the growth of emerging aviation markets, focus on data analytics, cybersecurity concerns, increasing demand for real-time monitoring, and demand from defense and military applications. Major trends in the forecast period include integration with next-generation aircraft, remote data access and analysis, integration with aircraft systems, miniaturization, and weight reduction.

The flight data recorder market is poised for growth, driven by the increasing volume of air traffic. Air traffic, denoting aircraft movement within specified areas or along designated routes, has been on the rise due to the development of new airports, expansion of existing facilities, and enhancements in air traffic management systems, all contributing to increased air travel capacity. Flight data recorders play a pivotal role in capturing and analyzing crucial flight parameters, thereby bolstering safety measures and facilitating incident investigations. For instance, as reported by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in January 2024, Middle Eastern airlines experienced a 33.3% surge in traffic in 2023 compared to 2022, coupled with a 26% increase in capacity and an 80.1% load factor. Concurrently, North American carriers observed a 28.3% year-on-year traffic rise, with a capacity uptick of 22.4% and a load factor reaching 84.6%. Consequently, the escalating air traffic is propelling the growth of the flight data recorder market.

Key players in the flight data recorder market are focusing on developing innovative and lightweight solutions tailored for electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These advancements aim to offer customers advanced features while gaining a competitive advantage. A notable example is the lightweight flight data recorder (xLDR), a high-capacity device that combines voice and flight data recording capabilities. Designed with advanced materials and engineering techniques, the xLDR reduces weight while maintaining or enhancing structural integrity and performance. For instance, in July 2022, L3Harris Technologies introduced the Extra Light Data Recorder (xLDR), specifically targeting the burgeoning light eVTOL and UAV systems market. This new recorder, 50% lighter than its predecessors, provides crash protection while capturing audio, flight data, video, and GPS parameters. It surpasses global requirements for crash-protected flight recorders on smaller aircraft and offers features such as increased data collection rates, automatic recording, and pilot-controlled functionalities.

In November 2022, Leonardo DRS Inc., a prominent US-based defense contractor, completed a merger with RADA Electronic Industries Ltd. This union has resulted in the formation of a consolidated public entity, wherein RADA shareholders maintain a 19.5% stake, while the parent company of Leonardo DRS, Leonardo S.p.A., holds the remaining 80.5%. The merger is anticipated to bolster revenue growth, expand margin capabilities, and open up new avenues for business expansion for the combined entity, establishing a distinctive defense contractor with promising growth prospects. RADA Electronic Industries Ltd., headquartered in Israel, specializes in defense technology solutions, particularly airborne video and data recording technologies, including digital video recorders and flight data recorders.

Major companies operating in the flight data recorder market report 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 2024. 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, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the flight data recorder market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, 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).

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 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.

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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