diff --git a/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount.cpp b/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount.cpp
index b0f16577ca..4b26c1a519 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount.cpp
@@ -625,6 +625,16 @@ void AP_Mount::configure_msg(uint8_t instance, mavlink_message_t* msg)
     _backends[instance]->configure_msg(msg);
 }
 
+void AP_Mount::configure(uint8_t instance, enum MAV_MOUNT_MODE mount_mode, uint8_t stab_roll, uint8_t stab_tilt, uint8_t stab_pan)
+{
+    if (instance >= AP_MOUNT_MAX_INSTANCES || _backends[instance] == NULL) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // send message to backend
+    _backends[instance]->configure(mount_mode, stab_roll, stab_tilt, stab_pan);
+}
+
 /// Control the mount (depends on the previously set mount configuration)
 /// triggered by a MavLink packet.
 void AP_Mount::control_msg(uint8_t instance, mavlink_message_t *msg)
@@ -637,6 +647,16 @@ void AP_Mount::control_msg(uint8_t instance, mavlink_message_t *msg)
     _backends[instance]->control_msg(msg);
 }
 
+void AP_Mount::control(uint8_t instance, int32_t pitch_or_lat, int32_t roll_or_lon, int32_t yaw_or_alt, enum MAV_MOUNT_MODE mount_mode)
+{
+    if (instance >= AP_MOUNT_MAX_INSTANCES || _backends[instance] == NULL) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // send message to backend
+    _backends[instance]->control(pitch_or_lat, roll_or_lon, yaw_or_alt, mount_mode);
+}
+
 /// Return mount status information
 void AP_Mount::status_msg(mavlink_channel_t chan)
 {
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount.h b/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount.h
index 076cc26738..82ef4766b7 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount.h
@@ -114,6 +114,14 @@ public:
     void set_roi_target(const struct Location &target_loc) { set_roi_target(_primary,target_loc); }
     void set_roi_target(uint8_t instance, const struct Location &target_loc);
 
+    // configure - configure the mount
+    void configure(enum MAV_MOUNT_MODE mount_mode, uint8_t stab_roll, uint8_t stab_tilt, uint8_t stab_pan) { configure(_primary, mount_mode, stab_roll, stab_tilt, stab_pan); }
+    void configure(uint8_t instance, enum MAV_MOUNT_MODE mount_mode, uint8_t stab_roll, uint8_t stab_tilt, uint8_t stab_pan);
+
+    // control - control the mount
+    void control(int32_t pitch_or_lat, int32_t roll_or_lon, int32_t yaw_or_alt, enum MAV_MOUNT_MODE mount_mode) { control(_primary, pitch_or_lat, roll_or_lon, yaw_or_alt, mount_mode); }
+    void control(uint8_t instance, int32_t pitch_or_lat, int32_t roll_or_lon, int32_t yaw_or_alt, enum MAV_MOUNT_MODE mount_mode);
+
     // configure_msg - process MOUNT_CONFIGURE messages received from GCS
     void configure_msg(mavlink_message_t* msg) { configure_msg(_primary, msg); }
     void configure_msg(uint8_t instance, mavlink_message_t* msg);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Backend.cpp b/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Backend.cpp
index b1f08a92e7..afde3cfabb 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Backend.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Backend.cpp
@@ -26,27 +26,40 @@ void AP_Mount_Backend::set_roi_target(const struct Location &target_loc)
     _frontend.set_mode(_instance, MAV_MOUNT_MODE_GPS_POINT);
 }
 
-// configure_msg - process MOUNT_CONFIGURE messages received from GCS
+// configure_msg - process MOUNT_CONFIGURE messages received from GCS.  deprecated.
 void AP_Mount_Backend::configure_msg(mavlink_message_t* msg)
 {
     __mavlink_mount_configure_t packet;
     mavlink_msg_mount_configure_decode(msg, &packet);
 
-    // set mode
-    _frontend.set_mode(_instance,(enum MAV_MOUNT_MODE)packet.mount_mode);
-
-    // set which axis are stabilized
-    _state._stab_roll = packet.stab_roll;
-    _state._stab_tilt = packet.stab_pitch;
-    _state._stab_pan = packet.stab_yaw;
+    configure((MAV_MOUNT_MODE)packet.mount_mode, packet.stab_roll, packet.stab_pitch, packet.stab_yaw);
 }
 
-// control_msg - process MOUNT_CONTROL messages received from GCS
+void AP_Mount_Backend::configure(MAV_MOUNT_MODE mount_mode, uint8_t stab_roll, uint8_t stab_tilt, uint8_t stab_pan)
+{
+    // set mode
+    _frontend.set_mode(_instance, mount_mode);
+    // set which axis are stabilized
+    _state._stab_roll = stab_roll;
+    _state._stab_tilt = stab_tilt;
+    _state._stab_pan = stab_pan;
+}
+
+// control_msg - process MOUNT_CONTROL messages received from GCS. deprecated.
 void AP_Mount_Backend::control_msg(mavlink_message_t *msg)
 {
     __mavlink_mount_control_t packet;
     mavlink_msg_mount_control_decode(msg, &packet);
 
+    control((int32_t) packet.input_a, (int32_t) packet.input_b, (int32_t) packet.input_c, 0);
+}
+
+void AP_Mount_Backend::control(int32_t pitch_or_lat, int32_t roll_or_lon, int32_t yaw_or_alt, uint8_t mount_mode)
+{
+    if(mount_mode > 0) {
+        _frontend.set_mode(_instance, (MAV_MOUNT_MODE) mount_mode);
+    }
+
     // interpret message fields based on mode
     switch (_frontend.get_mode(_instance)) {
         case MAV_MOUNT_MODE_RETRACT:
@@ -56,7 +69,7 @@ void AP_Mount_Backend::control_msg(mavlink_message_t *msg)
 
         // set earth frame target angles from mavlink message
         case MAV_MOUNT_MODE_MAVLINK_TARGETING:
-            set_angle_targets(packet.input_b*0.01f, packet.input_a*0.01f, packet.input_c*0.01f);
+            set_angle_targets(roll_or_lon*0.01f, pitch_or_lat*0.01f, yaw_or_alt*0.01f);
             break;
 
         // Load neutral position and start RC Roll,Pitch,Yaw control with stabilization
@@ -68,9 +81,9 @@ void AP_Mount_Backend::control_msg(mavlink_message_t *msg)
         case MAV_MOUNT_MODE_GPS_POINT:
             Location target_location;
             memset(&target_location, 0, sizeof(target_location));
-            target_location.lat = packet.input_a;
-            target_location.lng = packet.input_b;
-            target_location.alt = packet.input_c;
+            target_location.lat = pitch_or_lat;
+            target_location.lng = roll_or_lon;
+            target_location.alt = yaw_or_alt;
             target_location.flags.relative_alt = true;
             set_roi_target(target_location);
             break;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Backend.h b/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Backend.h
index e3bc39274a..c2dc69449f 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Backend.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Backend.h
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ public:
     // set_roi_target - sets target location that mount should attempt to point towards
     virtual void set_roi_target(const struct Location &target_loc);
 
+    // configure - configure the mount
+    virtual void configure(MAV_MOUNT_MODE mount_mode, uint8_t stab_roll, uint8_t stab_tilt, uint8_t stab_pan);
+    // control - control the mount
+    virtual void control(int32_t pitch_or_lat, int32_t roll_or_lon, int32_t yaw_or_alt, uint8_t mount_mode);
+    
     // configure_msg - process MOUNT_CONFIGURE messages received from GCS
     virtual void configure_msg(mavlink_message_t* msg);