VDR (Voyage Data Recorder) is the maritime version of the black box airlines use. The system is typically two-parts that include a data collection device and a deck-mounted protective pod designed to withstand shock as well as fire, deep-sea pressing and penetration. It is used to record events that occur during navigation, but it can also provide valuable data to assess damage during heavy weather as well as performance monitoring and crew training.
Up-grading
Many ships equipped with VDR/SVDR technology meet the minimum requirements of regulatory compliance However, members are encouraged to think about using the equipment to investigate incidents as well as preventive maintenance and bridge team training as and for recording near misses. In addition, there are packages available that can significantly extend the period of duration for which VDR data is available from the current minimum of 12 hours and a choice should be made about whether or not to upgrade to this.
The system is built on an industrial grade computer that performs several functions, including processing and encoding information received from sensors. The capsule is designed to survive any kind of accident and to store the data. The VDR system is made up of a data collection device located on the bridge, as along with a separate power supply as well as an interface unit and backup batteries. The unit collects data from the integrated sources, including microphones used to record bridge audio and sends it to a Concentrator, where a series NMEA 0183 sentence is processed and then coded to be sent to the final recorded media.