6.0On-board DRM
On-board DRM for In-flight and Transport Entertainment
Protect passenger entertainment when internet access is unavailable or unreliable. DRM-X supports project design for pre-acquired persistent licenses and qualified local license issuance, based on your devices, rights, key-transfer process, and disconnected operating period.
Define your transport entertainment project
On-board licensing is a custom project. A Professional SDK subscription does not include a local DRM license service.
- Fleet size, seat or device count, and expected peak concurrent playback.
- Exact device models, firmware, player, codecs, and required quality.
- Local-server design, network access, and longest disconnected period.
- Content types, distribution rights, key-transfer process, and rights-holder requirements.
Two models for disconnected playback
| Requirement | Pre-acquired device licenses | Local license issuance |
|---|---|---|
| Connectivity | Acquire media and licenses while connected. | Prepare and transfer content and required license-service material before disconnecting. |
| Local server | No local license server is needed to restore an existing device license. | A qualified local service issues new licenses on board. |
| Device provisioning | Provision each device and acquire its persistent licenses before departure. | Qualify device provisioning and every remaining dependency for disconnected operation. |
| Key transfer | The device keeps protected license material. | Design protected transfer, local storage, access control, and recovery for server-held material. |
| Updates and expiry | Renew licenses online before their validity ends. | Plan service credentials, time, policies, and update intervals for the disconnected period. |
| Acceptance | Verify reboot, expiry, selected tracks, and playback without network access. | Verify fresh license issuance, device compatibility, reboot, failover, and recovery while fully disconnected. |
From ground preparation to on-board playback
- 01
Prepare
Package content and define rights, devices, quality, and the disconnected period.
- 02
Transfer
Move encrypted media and approved protected service material through the agreed transfer process.
- 03
Authorize locally
The on-board application checks local viewing rights. The qualified service issues a license where this model is required.
- 04
Play
The device DRM decrypts authorized media. Restored licenses or local issuance must both pass disconnected acceptance.
Protect local keys and credentials
Agree protected transfer, storage, server binding, operator permissions, and recovery before deployment. Provider permissions and credential handling depend on the chosen DRM and project architecture.
Test the fully disconnected operating period
- Disconnect every internet path and test fresh startup on the actual devices.
- Verify provisioning, certificates, time behavior, and license expiry.
- Test restart, loss of the local service, failover, and recovery.
- Confirm quality, audio, subtitles, output restrictions, and operational reporting.
Premium content and project acceptance
DRM-X supports the DRM technologies and security controls commonly used for premium and Hollywood studio content. Your complete service must meet the requirements agreed with the studio or rights holder.
Agree the acceptance criteria with the operator and content owner. Do not infer on-board approval from a standard cloud account or the presence of a DRM technology.
Common questions
Is offline playback the same as running an on-board license server?
No. A device can restore a previously acquired license without a local license server. Fresh disconnected license issuance requires a separately qualified local service.
Is this included in Professional?
Native SDK access and an on-board license deployment are different scopes. Local issuance, provider permissions, device acceptance, and support require a project agreement.
Discuss your on-board architecture
Use the relevant guide or contact our team to plan your supported workflow.