Airplane 'Black Boxes' Are Actually Painted Florescent Orange
Despite being called 'black boxes', Flight Data Recorders (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVR) are coated in heat-resistant, high-visibility bright fluorescent orange paint and fitted with reflective tape. They also house an underwater locator beacon that emits an acoustic ultrasonic ping for 30 to 90 days once submerged.