diff --git a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor.cpp b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor.cpp
index 3d5123d6ff..2a1dbf394e 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor.cpp
@@ -311,6 +311,8 @@ const AP_Param::GroupInfo AP_InertialSensor::var_info[] PROGMEM = {
     AP_GROUPEND
 };
 
+AP_InertialSensor *AP_InertialSensor::_s_instance = nullptr;
+
 AP_InertialSensor::AP_InertialSensor() :
     _gyro_count(0),
     _accel_count(0),
@@ -326,6 +328,10 @@ AP_InertialSensor::AP_InertialSensor() :
     _backends_detected(false),
     _dataflash(NULL)
 {
+    if (_s_instance) {
+        hal.scheduler->panic(PSTR("Too many inertial sensors"));
+    }
+    _s_instance = this;
     AP_Param::setup_object_defaults(this, var_info);        
     for (uint8_t i=0; i<INS_MAX_BACKENDS; i++) {
         _backends[i] = NULL;
@@ -349,6 +355,15 @@ AP_InertialSensor::AP_InertialSensor() :
     memset(_delta_angle_valid,0,sizeof(_delta_angle_valid));
 }
 
+/*
+ * Get the AP_InertialSensor singleton
+ */
+AP_InertialSensor *AP_InertialSensor::get_instance()
+{
+    if (!_s_instance)
+        _s_instance = new AP_InertialSensor();
+    return _s_instance;
+}
 
 /*
   register a new gyro instance
diff --git a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor.h b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor.h
index b3561c6ef5..042e64601e 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class AP_InertialSensor
 
 public:
     AP_InertialSensor();
+    static AP_InertialSensor *get_instance();
 
     enum Start_style {
         COLD_START = 0,
@@ -378,6 +379,8 @@ private:
     } _hil {};
 
     DataFlash_Class *_dataflash;
+
+    static AP_InertialSensor *_s_instance;
 };
 
 #include "AP_InertialSensor_Backend.h"