AirFi, a developer of ancillary aviation technologies, has launched AirFunnl, a media delivery stack for inflight entertainment (IFE). The solution, which is supported by the Titan media suite from AION Media Group, features AI-enhanced DRM encoding, adaptive bitrate streaming, and CMAF packaging, which AirFi claims can together reduce average file sizes by up to 45% without sacrificing quality.
The reduced file sizes of AirFunnl IFE content can lead to shorter content deployment times and lower cellular ground data transfer costs for AirFi installed operations, while also improving playback on passenger devices.
AirFunnl is built on CMAF (Common Media Application Format), an industry standard container that enables a single set of fragmented MP4 files to play on both HLS and DASH. By avoiding separate packages for each protocol, CMAF reduces storage, repackaging work, and latency.
According to AirFi, the system’s adaptive bitrate ladders keep playback consistent as onboard usage levels fluctuate. A zero-touch orchestration process can handle ingest, packaging, encryption and QA, so deployment requires minimal manual steps.
“AirFunnl gives airlines three things that hugely improve the IFE operational experience: smaller files, faster refresh, and smooth playback on personal devices,” said Marco Dorjee, VP IFE and LEO operations at AirFi. “We’ve essentially halved the weight of the content files being sent to the aircraft. Airlines will see lower distribution costs and leaner operations, while passengers will appreciate fresher choices and less buffering or loading time.”
“The player experience is optimised for BYOD (bring your own device) and supports fully offline playback on any device. Studio-grade DRM using standard encryption across the main mobile device operating systems safeguards rights, so premium catalogues keep flowing,” Dorjee added.
AirFunnl is available for airline and CSP deployments through AirFi. The product is compatible with AirFi’s wireless-IFE architecture and can be integrated with third-party CSP workflows.
