Ram Mohan Naidu Inaugurates India's Advanced Black Box Lab at AAIB
ECONOMY & POLICY

Ram Mohan Naidu Inaugurates India's Advanced Black Box Lab at AAIB

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Shri Ram Mohan Naidu today inaugurated the Digital Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder Laboratory—popularly known as the Black Box Lab—at the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), housed at Udaan Bhawan, New Delhi. This state-of-the-art facility, developed at an investment of ?9 crore, marks a significant leap in India’s aviation safety and investigation capabilities.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by senior dignitaries from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA, Indian Air Force, BCAS, AAI, AERA, and flight safety heads from major airlines across India.

Enhancing Aviation Safety Standards Highlighting the importance of the facility, Shri Naidu remarked that the lab would significantly strengthen India’s investigative infrastructure, helping identify root causes of aviation incidents and enhancing accountability. "Effective and independent investigations are the foundation for preventing future accidents,” the Minister emphasised.

He lauded the role of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in aiding the establishment of the lab and hailed India’s growing self-reliance in avionics, noting HAL’s capability to manufacture and repair flight data recorders domestically.

Meeting Global Standards The new facility enables AAIB to repair damaged black boxes, extract and decode data, and conduct comprehensive accident analyses. Equipped to correlate data from the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), and Radar, the lab brings India on par with global aviation safety benchmarks, fulfilling the country’s obligations under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

A Step Towards Regional and Global Leadership AAIB Director General Shri G V G Yugandhar noted that the lab would also assist neighbouring countries in aviation investigations, reinforcing India’s commitment to regional aviation safety. He further emphasised its role in accident prevention through inputs for design modifications and updated operating procedures, especially as India scales up manufacturing of aircraft and helicopters.

With India targeting 350–400 airports by 2047, the Ministry reiterated its dedication to ensuring that safety infrastructure expands in lockstep with sectoral growth. This Black Box Lab is a pivotal asset in realising the vision of a safe, modern, and globally competitive Indian aviation ecosystem

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Shri Ram Mohan Naidu today inaugurated the Digital Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder Laboratory—popularly known as the Black Box Lab—at the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), housed at Udaan Bhawan, New Delhi. This state-of-the-art facility, developed at an investment of ?9 crore, marks a significant leap in India’s aviation safety and investigation capabilities. The inaugural ceremony was attended by senior dignitaries from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA, Indian Air Force, BCAS, AAI, AERA, and flight safety heads from major airlines across India. Enhancing Aviation Safety Standards Highlighting the importance of the facility, Shri Naidu remarked that the lab would significantly strengthen India’s investigative infrastructure, helping identify root causes of aviation incidents and enhancing accountability. Effective and independent investigations are the foundation for preventing future accidents,” the Minister emphasised. He lauded the role of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in aiding the establishment of the lab and hailed India’s growing self-reliance in avionics, noting HAL’s capability to manufacture and repair flight data recorders domestically. Meeting Global Standards The new facility enables AAIB to repair damaged black boxes, extract and decode data, and conduct comprehensive accident analyses. Equipped to correlate data from the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), and Radar, the lab brings India on par with global aviation safety benchmarks, fulfilling the country’s obligations under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). A Step Towards Regional and Global Leadership AAIB Director General Shri G V G Yugandhar noted that the lab would also assist neighbouring countries in aviation investigations, reinforcing India’s commitment to regional aviation safety. He further emphasised its role in accident prevention through inputs for design modifications and updated operating procedures, especially as India scales up manufacturing of aircraft and helicopters. With India targeting 350–400 airports by 2047, the Ministry reiterated its dedication to ensuring that safety infrastructure expands in lockstep with sectoral growth. This Black Box Lab is a pivotal asset in realising the vision of a safe, modern, and globally competitive Indian aviation ecosystem

Next Story
Technology

Building Faster, Smarter, and Greener!

Backed by ULCCS’s century-old legacy, U-Sphere combines technology, modular design and sustainable practices to deliver faster and more efficient projects. In an interaction with CW, Rohit Prabhakar, Director - Business Development, shares how the company’s integrated model of ‘Speed-Build’, ‘Smart-Build’ and ‘Sustain-Build’ is redefining construction efficiency, quality and environmental responsibility in India.U-Sphere positions itself at the intersection of speed, sustainability and smart design. How does this translate into measurable efficiency on the ground?At U..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Smart Roads, Smarter India

India’s infrastructure boom is not only about laying more kilometres of highways – it’s about building them smarter, safer and more sustainably. From drones mapping fragile Himalayan slopes to 3D machine-controlled graders reducing human error, technology is steadily reshaping the way projects are planned and executed. Yet, the journey towards digitisation remains complex, demanding not just capital but also coordination, training and vision.Until recently, engineers largely depended on Survey of India toposheets and traditional survey methods like total stations or DGPS to prepare detai..

Next Story
Real Estate

What Does DCPR 2034 Mean?

The Maharashtra government has eased approval norms for high-rise buildings under DCPR 2034, enabling the municipal commissioner to sanction projects up to 180 m on large plots. This change is expected to streamline approvals, reduce procedural delays and accelerate redevelopment, drawing reactions from developers, planners and industry experts about its implications for Mumbai’s vertical growth.Under the revised DCPR 2034 rules, buildings on plots of 2,000 sq m or more can now be approved up to 180 m by the municipal commissioner, provided structural and geotechnical reports are certified b..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?