diff --git a/Blimp/Blimp.h b/Blimp/Blimp.h
index bcc3a87727..c07a35e8b8 100644
--- a/Blimp/Blimp.h
+++ b/Blimp/Blimp.h
@@ -212,8 +212,6 @@ private:
 
     // Failsafe
     struct {
-        uint32_t last_heartbeat_ms;      // the time when the last HEARTBEAT message arrived from a GCS - used for triggering gcs failsafe
-
         int8_t radio_counter;            // number of iterations with throttle below throttle_fs_value
 
         uint8_t radio               : 1; // A status flag for the radio failsafe
diff --git a/Blimp/GCS_Mavlink.cpp b/Blimp/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
index ab8acc01d3..0b00656c2b 100644
--- a/Blimp/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
+++ b/Blimp/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
@@ -477,13 +477,6 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK_Blimp::send_banner()
     send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Frame: %s", blimp.get_frame_string());
 }
 
-// a RC override message is considered to be a 'heartbeat' from the ground station for failsafe purposes
-void GCS_MAVLINK_Blimp::handle_rc_channels_override(const mavlink_message_t &msg)
-{
-    blimp.failsafe.last_heartbeat_ms = AP_HAL::millis();
-    GCS_MAVLINK::handle_rc_channels_override(msg);
-}
-
 MAV_RESULT GCS_MAVLINK_Blimp::_handle_command_preflight_calibration(const mavlink_command_long_t &packet)
 {
     return GCS_MAVLINK::_handle_command_preflight_calibration(packet);
@@ -638,15 +631,6 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK_Blimp::handleMessage(const mavlink_message_t &msg)
 {
     switch (msg.msgid) {
 
-    case MAVLINK_MSG_ID_HEARTBEAT: {    // MAV ID: 0
-        // We keep track of the last time we received a heartbeat from our GCS for failsafe purposes
-        if (msg.sysid != blimp.g.sysid_my_gcs) {
-            break;
-        }
-        blimp.failsafe.last_heartbeat_ms = AP_HAL::millis();
-        break;
-    }
-
     // #if MODE_GUIDED_ENABLED == ENABLED
     //     case MAVLINK_MSG_ID_SET_ATTITUDE_TARGET:   // MAV ID: 82
     //     {
diff --git a/Blimp/GCS_Mavlink.h b/Blimp/GCS_Mavlink.h
index 14b7b1f7a2..97b4aedb85 100644
--- a/Blimp/GCS_Mavlink.h
+++ b/Blimp/GCS_Mavlink.h
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ private:
     void handleMessage(const mavlink_message_t &msg) override;
     bool handle_guided_request(AP_Mission::Mission_Command &cmd) override;
     void handle_change_alt_request(AP_Mission::Mission_Command &cmd) override;
-    void handle_rc_channels_override(const mavlink_message_t &msg) override;
     bool try_send_message(enum ap_message id) override;
 
     void packetReceived(const mavlink_status_t &status,
diff --git a/Blimp/events.cpp b/Blimp/events.cpp
index 6f77c54c91..579fbb706e 100644
--- a/Blimp/events.cpp
+++ b/Blimp/events.cpp
@@ -91,13 +91,18 @@ void Blimp::handle_battery_failsafe(const char *type_str, const int8_t action)
 void Blimp::failsafe_gcs_check()
 {
     // Bypass GCS failsafe checks if disabled or GCS never connected
-    if (g.failsafe_gcs == FS_GCS_DISABLED || failsafe.last_heartbeat_ms == 0) {
+    if (g.failsafe_gcs == FS_GCS_DISABLED) {
         return;
     }
 
+    const uint32_t gcs_last_seen_ms = gcs().sysid_myggcs_last_seen_time_ms();
+    if (gcs_last_seen_ms == 0) {
+         return;
+     }
+
     // calc time since last gcs update
     // note: this only looks at the heartbeat from the device id set by g.sysid_my_gcs
-    const uint32_t last_gcs_update_ms = millis() - failsafe.last_heartbeat_ms;
+    const uint32_t last_gcs_update_ms = millis() - gcs_last_seen_ms;
     const uint32_t gcs_timeout_ms = uint32_t(constrain_float(g2.fs_gcs_timeout * 1000.0f, 0.0f, UINT32_MAX));
 
     // Determine which event to trigger