diff --git a/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_Backend.h b/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_Backend.h
index 474a3ab20c..cbb0b1135b 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_Backend.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_Backend.h
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ protected:
     void log_data(AP_RCProtocol::rcprotocol_t prot, uint32_t timestamp, const uint8_t *data, uint8_t len) const;
 
     // decode channels from the standard 11bit format (used by CRSF and SBUS)
-    void decode_11bit_channels(const uint8_t* data, uint8_t nchannels, uint16_t *values, uint16_t mult, uint16_t div, uint16_t offset);
+    static void decode_11bit_channels(const uint8_t* data, uint8_t nchannels, uint16_t *values, uint16_t mult, uint16_t div, uint16_t offset);
 
 private:
     uint32_t rc_input_count;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_SBUS.cpp b/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_SBUS.cpp
index 15c0223398..71a7c306c5 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_SBUS.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_SBUS.cpp
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ AP_RCProtocol_SBUS::AP_RCProtocol_SBUS(AP_RCProtocol &_frontend, bool _inverted,
 
 // decode a full SBUS frame
 bool AP_RCProtocol_SBUS::sbus_decode(const uint8_t frame[25], uint16_t *values, uint16_t *num_values,
-                                     bool *sbus_failsafe, bool *sbus_frame_drop, uint16_t max_values)
+                                     bool &sbus_failsafe, uint16_t max_values)
 {
     /* check frame boundary markers to avoid out-of-sync cases */
     if ((frame[0] != 0x0f)) {
@@ -129,11 +129,9 @@ bool AP_RCProtocol_SBUS::sbus_decode(const uint8_t frame[25], uint16_t *values,
     /* decode and handle failsafe and frame-lost flags */
     if (frame[SBUS_FLAGS_BYTE] & (1 << SBUS_FAILSAFE_BIT)) { /* failsafe */
         /* report that we failed to read anything valid off the receiver */
-        *sbus_failsafe = true;
-        *sbus_frame_drop = true;
+        sbus_failsafe = true;
     } else if (invalid_data) {
-        *sbus_failsafe = true;
-        *sbus_frame_drop = false;
+        sbus_failsafe = true;
     } else if (frame[SBUS_FLAGS_BYTE] & (1 << SBUS_FRAMELOST_BIT)) { /* a frame was lost */
         /* set a special warning flag
          *
@@ -141,11 +139,9 @@ bool AP_RCProtocol_SBUS::sbus_decode(const uint8_t frame[25], uint16_t *values,
          * condition as fail-safe greatly reduces the reliability and range of the radio link,
          * e.g. by prematurely issuing return-to-launch!!! */
 
-        *sbus_failsafe = false;
-        *sbus_frame_drop = true;
+        sbus_failsafe = false;
     } else {
-        *sbus_failsafe = false;
-        *sbus_frame_drop = false;
+        sbus_failsafe = false;
     }
 
     return true;
@@ -197,9 +193,8 @@ void AP_RCProtocol_SBUS::_process_byte(uint32_t timestamp_us, uint8_t b)
         uint16_t values[SBUS_INPUT_CHANNELS];
         uint16_t num_values=0;
         bool sbus_failsafe = false;
-        bool sbus_frame_drop = false;
         if (sbus_decode(byte_input.buf, values, &num_values,
-                        &sbus_failsafe, &sbus_frame_drop, SBUS_INPUT_CHANNELS) &&
+                        sbus_failsafe, SBUS_INPUT_CHANNELS) &&
             num_values >= MIN_RCIN_CHANNELS) {
             add_input(num_values, values, sbus_failsafe);
         }
diff --git a/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_SBUS.h b/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_SBUS.h
index c9c43a052b..c830372e21 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_SBUS.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_RCProtocol/AP_RCProtocol_SBUS.h
@@ -30,10 +30,11 @@ public:
     void process_pulse(uint32_t width_s0, uint32_t width_s1) override;
     void process_byte(uint8_t byte, uint32_t baudrate) override;
 
+    static bool sbus_decode(const uint8_t frame[25], uint16_t *values, uint16_t *num_values,
+                            bool &sbus_failsafe, uint16_t max_values);
+    
 private:
     void _process_byte(uint32_t timestamp_us, uint8_t byte);
-    bool sbus_decode(const uint8_t frame[25], uint16_t *values, uint16_t *num_values,
-                     bool *sbus_failsafe, bool *sbus_frame_drop, uint16_t max_values);
 
     bool inverted;
     SoftSerial ss;