The history of flight data recorders dates back to the early days of aviation. In the mid-20th century, the development of aviation technology paved the way for the creation of these critical devices. Early flight data recorders used magnetic tapes to store data, which were later replaced by more advanced solid-state memory technology.

A major breakthrough came in 1954 with David Warren's invention, the first modern flight recorder, which electronically logged flight data and cockpit conversations. The initial flight recorders used photographic paper, a method later replaced by magnetic tape in the 1960s.

In 1954 Dr David Warren first came up with the idea of a device that would record not only flight data but also voices and other sounds in aircraft cockpits immediately prior to a crash. The prototype he designed in the late 1950s met with indifference in Australia but was greeted with enthusiasm elsewhere in the world.

Aircraft flight recorders were developed after the second world war and were initially used to record data during flight tests, primarily for military aircraft. The late 1950s and early 1960s saw the first versions of commercially applicable aircraft flight recorders.