diff --git a/APMrover2/Rover.h b/APMrover2/Rover.h
index 6102eb9dde..c271b345fa 100644
--- a/APMrover2/Rover.h
+++ b/APMrover2/Rover.h
@@ -498,6 +498,7 @@ private:
     void do_set_home(const AP_Mission::Mission_Command& cmd);
     void do_digicam_configure(const AP_Mission::Mission_Command& cmd);
     void do_digicam_control(const AP_Mission::Mission_Command& cmd);
+    void init_capabilities(void);
 
 public:
     bool print_log_menu(void);
diff --git a/APMrover2/capabilities.cpp b/APMrover2/capabilities.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7122eb84f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/APMrover2/capabilities.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+// -*- tab-width: 4; Mode: C++; c-basic-offset: 4; indent-tabs-mode: nil -*-
+
+#include "Rover.h"
+
+void Rover::init_capabilities(void)
+{
+    hal.util->set_capabilities(MAV_PROTOCOL_CAPABILITY_MISSION_FLOAT);
+    hal.util->set_capabilities(MAV_PROTOCOL_CAPABILITY_PARAM_FLOAT);
+}
diff --git a/APMrover2/system.cpp b/APMrover2/system.cpp
index 4d70ff3029..bb5ed7fed8 100644
--- a/APMrover2/system.cpp
+++ b/APMrover2/system.cpp
@@ -210,6 +210,8 @@ void Rover::init_ardupilot()
     }
 #endif
 
+	init_capabilities();
+
 	startup_ground();
     Log_Write_Startup(TYPE_GROUNDSTART_MSG);