The invention relates to a pilot head pose detection method based on a video camera. A video camera with an upward lens is fixed on an earphone worn on the pilot head; and a marked graph is mounted inside a cockpit above the lens of the video camera, the marked graph is a white sign with a black base, and the sign is made of a fluorescent material. When the method is used for detecting the pose ofthe pilot head, firstly, the pilot puts the head straight and then presses an alignment switch, thereby acquiring a standard identification image through the video camera; then, when the pilot swingsthe head, the video camera shoots the marked graph in real time, the shot marked graph and the stored identification image in the standard state are superposed, and characteristic values are extracted; and the current pose of the pilot head is calculated through the conversion relation between the head position of the pilot and the image position, including the pitch angle, roll angle and courseangle of the head. The method provided by the invention has the advantages that the detection result is high in precision, and the detection speed is high; the method is suitable for head positioningof pilots of small general-purpose planes; and avionics systems of the planes do not need to be changed, so that the cost is low.