When we think of flight safety, we usually consider pilots, air traffic controllers, and the well-known “black box” flight recorder. However, there’s another vital piece of equipment that operates quietly in the background: the Digital Video Recorder (DVR). This advanced technology functions like a CCTV system within the aircraft, capturing video from multiple cameras situated throughout the plane.

The DVR records footage of the passenger cabin and may also provide external views for security purposes. It is specifically designed to document every significant moment during the flight.

SO, WHAT IS A DVR, AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT ON A FLIGHT?

In aviation, DVRs are purposely built aircraft devices that can withstand damage and impacts in the event of an accident. DVRs are designed to record video and sometimes audio in the critical areas of the cockpit and the passenger cabin. As opposed to the traditional-style “black boxes” (the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder), which record flight parameters and cockpit sounds, DVRs offers a video component that provides evidence along with the flight parameters and cockpit sounds. Such a video is invaluable to an investigator in accidents, as well as for pilot trainers, to monitor the pilots’ performance regarding flight safety.

DVRs provide investigators with a real-time visual record to assist in the understanding of the events that occurred before and during the incident; they provide a level of detail that audio and data alone do not supply. DVRs also provides information to maintenance teams and management of air traffic; they provide detailed information about the use and operation of an aircraft.

WHAT IS A DVR ON AN AIRCRAFT?

• Cameras are placed in the important areas, such as the cockpit area (and sometimes in the passenger cabin).
• The DVR records video from those cameras installed in a secure digital storage unit.
• In the event of an incident, the DVR may be retrieved, and analysts will review the captured footage.

Certain aircraft may employ a combined recorder that could be referred to as a DVDR (Digital Voice and Data Recorder) that can save both video and flight data from one single unit.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Aircraft DVRs are designed to work nonstop. They record uninterrupted video footage during the entire flight. These devices are often rugged, meaning they’re built to survive extreme conditions such as:

• High temperatures
• Strong vibrations
• High altitude pressure

Some advanced DVRs can even record video from multiple sources, including sensors and mission systems (especially in military aircraft).

DVRs for aircraft are an important safety system that will continuously record video throughout the duration of a flight. When flying, video data is important. Therefore, DVR systems are built to withstand extreme environmental conditions, so important video can be preserved for multiple usages, important for accident investigation, training, and security.