Triggered data streaming

1 . A method comprising:

capturing audio from an aircraft to generate an audio signal;

obtaining a trigger indicating a potential emergency on the aircraft, wherein the trigger comprises one of an external trigger and an internal trigger;

streaming the audio signal to an external destination outside of the aircraft;

storing a predetermined length of the audio signal as a buffered audio signal; and

transmitting the buffered audio signal in response to obtaining the trigger;

wherein when the trigger is the external trigger received at the aircraft over a first radio channel, the method further comprises streaming the audio signal to the external destination over a second radio channel, wherein the first radio channel has less bandwidth than the second radio channel; and

wherein when the trigger is the internal trigger, the method further comprises:

monitoring a plurality of parameters of the aircraft generated by a plurality of sensors that measure one or more conditions of the aircraft; and

generating the internal trigger based on a predetermined limit of one or more of the plurality of parameters.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of parameters include altitude, airspeed, pitch, roll, yaw, fuel level, cockpit door status, aircraft equipment status, or emergency status.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein streaming the audio signal begins with streaming the buffered audio signal.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein streaming the audio signal begins with streaming a real-time audio signal, the method further comprising transmitting the buffered audio signal to the external destination.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising encrypting the audio signal before streaming the audio signal to the external destination.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: capturing one or more video signals from the aircraft; and streaming the one or more video signals to the external destination in response to obtaining the trigger.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: capturing flight data from the aircraft; and transmitting the flight data to the external destination in response to obtaining the trigger.

8 . A flight data recorder comprising:

one or more network interfaces;

a buffer;

a processor coupled to one or more network interfaces and the buffer, the processor configured to:

obtain an audio signal captured from an aircraft;

detect a trigger indicating a potential emergency on the aircraft, wherein the trigger comprises one of an external trigger and an internal trigger;

select a streaming interface among the one or more network interfaces based on an available network bandwidth of the streaming interface;

cause the streaming interface to stream the audio signal to an external destination outside of the aircraft;

store a predetermined length of the audio signal in the buffer memory as a buffered audio signal; and

cause the streaming interface to transmit the buffered audio signal in response to detecting the trigger;

detect when the trigger is the external trigger from a communication received at the aircraft via a first network interface among the one or more network interfaces that is different than the streaming interface, wherein the first network interface has less bandwidth than the streaming interface; and

monitor a plurality of parameters of the aircraft generated by a plurality of sensors that measure one or more conditions of the aircraft; and generating the internal trigger based on a predetermined limit of one or more of the plurality of parameters.

9 . The flight data recorder of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to encrypt the audio signal before causing the streaming interface to stream the audio signal to the external destination.

10 . A triggered data streaming system comprising:

one or more radios configured to communicate with one or more radio networks;

a plurality of aircraft sensors configured to monitor an aircraft; and

a data recorder configured to:

obtain an audio signal from at least one microphone among the plurality of aircraft sensors;

detect a trigger indicating a potential emergency on the aircraft, wherein the trigger comprises one of an external trigger and an internal trigger;

cause the one or more radios to stream the audio signal to an external destination outside of the aircraft via the one or more radio networks;

store a predetermined length of the audio signal in a buffer memory as a buffered audio signal; and

cause the one or more radios to transmit the buffered audio signal in response to detecting the trigger;

detect when the trigger is the external trigger from a communication received at the aircraft via a first radio network among the one or more radio networks; and cause the one or more radios to stream the audio signal to the external destination via a second radio network that has a higher bandwidth than the first radio network; and

monitor a plurality of parameters of the aircraft generated by the plurality of aircraft sensors; and detect when the trigger is the internal trigger based on a predetermined limit of one or more of the plurality of parameters.

11 . The triggered data streaming system of claim 10 , wherein the data recorder is further configured to encrypt the audio signal before causing the one or more radios to stream the audio signal to the external destination.