[jdietrich]

They don't use protection during discharge, which is the relatively safe part of the cycle. They're careful to match the pack to the discharge demand to prevent thermal runaway. They're also at a considerable distance from the pack when it is in use. During charging, any sensible RC hobbyist uses a good balance charger and a LiPo safety bag.

It's also worth bearing in mind that lithium batteries replaced methanol and nitromethane fuel in the RC hobby, which isn't exactly benign.