At the moment, all aircraft are equipped with black boxes that record incidents during flight that might lead to disaster and must be recovered after an accident. Perhaps it is possible to send this information plus inboard camera views of the aircraft interior to a satellite to be relayed to a central ground station so that the entire flight goes on record in real time. Any aircraft in trouble can then be monitored during the flight when a mayday is broadcast or if a secret signal is emitted by threatened personnel. This may interfere with normal radio and navigation devices but if it is possible it could save lives.
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There are not one but two "black boxes" (not actually black, and not necessarily box-shaped) on airliners: the cockpit voice recorder, and the flight data recorder. Both record information up to the instant of a crash, both are very rugged, and both will always be crucial in accident investigation.
Transponders used in commercial aircraft also transmit flight data in real time, such as speed, heading, and altitude; this is used by air traffic controllers to direct traffic. Some of what you suggest is done now, all of it is feasible.
Transmitting images of the flight deck or the passenger cabin would use a considerable amount of bandwidth if done constantly, but the capability could come in handy if it was used only after an in-flight emergency was declared by the flight crew, or if traffic controllers recognized somewthing was wrong.
Right after 9/11, there were discussions about having traffic control taking remote control in the event a flight crew was hijacked or otherwise incapacitated. Almost every commercial airliner designed since the 747 has a very sophisticated autopilot that is capable of flying the airplane unattended, including (in some cases) the ability to make an instrument (IFR) landing.
I'm sure developments are underway now to provide remote, candid surveillance of aircraft interiors in flight; certainly, the technology is available. I don't know if it would be in the public interest for government or industry leaders to discuss them openly.
There are several scenarios which could arise which would make remote control of an airliner very dangerous. One is that the terrorists could either hack the system by using their own remote control system or two they could take over the control centre by placing 'sleepers' there who could gain control by assault on the staff. They would then be free to crash a large number of aircraft into whatever target they wanted to hit.
The psychology of someone on the ground controlling an aircraft which is in trouble is not the same as that of a pilot who is actually on board, the ground based pilot does not have as much to lose as the airborne pilot and also will not have as good situational awareness and could easily cause a collision with other traffic.
As for a secret signal, if the aircraft is fitted with a transponder there is already an international code for hijack which the pilot can set on it.
I think that would be a good idea. I like the idea that if you signal a problem, the people in the ground station could have picture access to what was going on in the cock-pit, cabin, etc.