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  4. onsemi – End-to-End Power Solutions for High-Performance Drones

onsemi – End-to-End Power Solutions for High-Performance Drones

onsemi Next-Gen Drone Design eBook

Next-Gen Drone Design eBook

Download onsemi's guide to building advanced sensing systems for safer, highly accurate flight.

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Complete System Solutions for Advanced Drone DesignSensing Systems
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Power and Communication

Drone performance is fundamentally limited by power. From battery charging to motor drive and system regulation, efficient power management determines flight time, thermal performance, and overall reliability. onsemi’s power portfolio spans the entire energy chain—enabling high-efficiency conversion, intelligent distribution, and robust protection for drone systems.

What Makes Up a Drone Power System

A drone power system manages energy from input to execution across three key layers:

Battery & Charging

  • Converts external power into stored energy
  • Includes AC/DC conversion and charging circuits
  • Supports battery management and charging safety
  • Enables efficient energy storage for flight

Power Distribution

  • Converts battery output into regulated voltage rails
  • Uses DC-DC converters and LDO regulators
  • Provides clean, stable power for sensitive electronics
  • Includes voltage supervision and sequencing

Power Consumption Systems

  • Motor drive systems for propulsion
  • Gimbal stabilization motors
  • Processing units, sensors, and communication systems
  • Represents the main energy usage in the drone

Gimbal / Payload Imaging

  • Stabilized camera system for capturing high-quality images and video
  • Enables applications such as inspection, mapping, and surveillance
  • Uses 3-axis motor control (yaw, pitch, roll) for image stabilization
  • Supports FPV (first-person view) and advanced payload imaging

Communication – Wired and Wireless

  • Reliable data transmission within the drone and to the base station, supporting wired and wireless architectures
  • Enables real-time telemetry, video streaming, and command/control communication
  • Provides internal data flow between sensors, processors, and memory
  • Includes Bluetooth® Low Energy (RSL15) and Single Pair Ethernet (10BASE-T1S) for robust, low-latency operation

Inductive Sensing

  • Precise position and motion sensing for controlled mechanical systems, ideal for BLDC motor rotor position feedback
  • Accurate feedback for motor-driven systems such as gimbals and actuators
  • Robust contactless operation in harsh environments (dust, vibration, temperature) with long lifetime
  • Enhances system stability, control accuracy, and repeatability

LED Drivers

  • Controls and powers lighting systems embedded within drone designs
  • Provides regulated current and voltage for high-efficiency LED operation with minimal power loss
  • Supports status indication, navigation lighting, and payload illumination
  • Includes overcurrent and thermal protection while reducing system complexity
Power & Communication BlockFunctionKey onsemi PartsWhat They Enable
Battery Charging (AC/DC)Converts external power to battery storageNCP1680, NCP1681, NCP1342, NCP13992Efficient and safe battery charging
Battery Protection & ControlMonitors and protects energy storageNCP308, protected MOSFETs, IntelliMAX switchesSafe and reliable battery operation
Power Distribution (DC-DC)Converts battery voltage to system railsFAN65004C, NCP3237, NCP1597B, NCP3135Efficient voltage regulation across system
Voltage Regulation (LDOs)Provides clean, stable voltage railsNCP148, NCP137, NCP186, NCV8114Low-noise power for sensitive electronics
System Protection (eFuse)Overcurrent and fault protectionNIS3071, NIS6150, NIS6452Prevents system damage and improves safety
Motor Drive Power StageDrives BLDC motors for propulsionNXV08H300DT1, NXV10V125DT1, NXV08V080DB1Compact, high-efficiency motor control
MOSFETs (Switching)High-efficiency power switchingT10, T8, T6 MOSFET familiesReduced losses and improved efficiency
Gate DriversControls MOSFET switching behaviorNCV51511, NCP51513, NCP81075, FAN8811TPrecise motor and power control
Gimbal Position & ControlStabilization and orientation controlNCS32100 (encoder), NCD83591 (driver), NTMFS0D9N04XMSmooth, precise camera stabilization
Image Sensor PowerClean, low-noise power for sensorsNCP189, NCP59801, T30LMPSR131/132/165Stable image quality and low noise operation
Angular position and velocity sensingInductive Position SensingNCS32100Joint control, precision landing
LED DriversLED Lighting operationNCV78514, NCV7685Status indication, navigation
CommunicationWireless and wired communicationRSL15, NCN26010, NCN26000Data backbone

Key Design Challenges

Challengeonsemi Solution
Limited battery lifeHigh-efficiency power conversion
Thermal constraintsLow-loss MOSFETs and power modules
Size and weightHighly integrated power solutions
Reliability and safetyProtection ICs and monitoring
Power noiseClean regulation for sensitive systems