diff --git a/ArduPlane/AP_ExternalControl_Plane.h b/ArduPlane/AP_ExternalControl_Plane.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..71308780d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ArduPlane/AP_ExternalControl_Plane.h
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+
+/*
+  external control library for plane
+ */
+#pragma once
+
+#include <AP_ExternalControl/AP_ExternalControl.h>
+
+#if AP_EXTERNAL_CONTROL_ENABLED
+
+#include <AP_Common/Location.h>
+
+class AP_ExternalControl_Plane : public AP_ExternalControl {
+public:
+    /*
+        Sets the target global position for a loiter point.
+    */
+    bool set_global_position(const Location& loc) override WARN_IF_UNUSED;
+};
+
+#endif // AP_EXTERNAL_CONTROL_ENABLED
diff --git a/ArduPlane/Plane.h b/ArduPlane/Plane.h
index b40ab6a132..3a91aea65a 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Plane.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/Plane.h
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@
 #include <AP_Follow/AP_Follow.h>
 #include <AP_ExternalControl/AP_ExternalControl_config.h>
 #if AP_EXTERNAL_CONTROL_ENABLED
-#include <AP_ExternalControl/AP_ExternalControl.h>
+#include "AP_ExternalControl_Plane.h"
 #endif
 
 #include "GCS_Mavlink.h"
@@ -167,6 +167,10 @@ public:
     friend class ModeThermal;
     friend class ModeLoiterAltQLand;
 
+#if AP_EXTERNAL_CONTROL_ENABLED
+    friend class AP_ExternalControl_Plane;
+#endif
+
     Plane(void);
 
 private:
@@ -776,9 +780,9 @@ private:
 
     AP_Param param_loader {var_info};
 
-    // dummy implementation of external control
+    // external control library
 #if AP_EXTERNAL_CONTROL_ENABLED
-    AP_ExternalControl external_control;
+    AP_ExternalControl_Plane external_control;
 #endif
 
     static const AP_Scheduler::Task scheduler_tasks[];