No doubt “pilot losing control” is behind many drone crashes, but what’s behind that “loss of control”? Even small recreational drones depend on a host of subsystems—GPS, receiver antennae, WiFi, I/O ports, speed controllers—to stay in the air. Lose one and that UAV becomes a UFO! All drones are susceptible to problems ranging from the annoying to catastrophic. A battery that catches fire during charging or a mid-flight failure due to electrical issues highlight why robust circuit protection is essential. This application note outlines the latest solutions available to implement battery safety, ESD protection, and more.