diff --git a/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py b/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py
index c13d29e7ce..b017f68656 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py
@@ -275,8 +275,12 @@ def setup_rc(mavproxy):
     mavproxy.send('rc 3 1000\n')
 
 
-def fly_ArduCopter():
-    '''fly ArduCopter in SIL'''
+def fly_ArduCopter(viewerip=None):
+    '''fly ArduCopter in SIL
+
+    you can pass viewerip as an IP address to optionally send fg and
+    mavproxy packets too for local viewing of the flight in real time
+    '''
     global expect_list, homeloc
 
     sil = util.start_SIL('ArduCopter', wipe=True)
@@ -295,12 +299,13 @@ def fly_ArduCopter():
     mavproxy.expect('Loaded [0-9]+ parameters')
 
     # reboot with new parameters
-    print("CLOSING")
     util.pexpect_close(mavproxy)
     util.pexpect_close(sil)
-    print("CLOSED THEM")
     sil = util.start_SIL('ArduCopter')
-    mavproxy = util.start_MAVProxy_SIL('ArduCopter', options='--fgout=127.0.0.1:5502 --fgin=127.0.0.1:5501 --out=127.0.0.1:19550 --out=192.168.2.15:14550 --quadcopter --streamrate=1')
+    options = '--fgout=127.0.0.1:5502 --fgin=127.0.0.1:5501 --out=127.0.0.1:19550 --quadcopter --streamrate=1'
+    if viewerip:
+        options += ' --out=%s:14550' % viewerip
+    mavproxy = util.start_MAVProxy_SIL('ArduCopter', options=options)
     mavproxy.expect('Logging to (\S+)')
     logfile = mavproxy.match.group(1)
     print("LOGFILE %s" % logfile)
@@ -317,8 +322,10 @@ def fly_ArduCopter():
     util.expect_setup_callback(mavproxy, expect_callback)
 
     # start hil_quad.py
-    hquad = pexpect.spawn(util.reltopdir('../HILTest/hil_quad.py') + ' --fgout=192.168.2.15:9123 --fgrate=200 --home=%s' % HOME_LOCATION,
-                        logfile=sys.stdout, timeout=10)
+    cmd = util.reltopdir('../HILTest/hil_quad.py') + ' --fgrate=200 --home=%s' % HOME_LOCATION
+    if viewerip:
+        cmd += ' --fgout=192.168.2.15:9123'
+    hquad = pexpect.spawn(cmd, logfile=sys.stdout, timeout=10)
     util.pexpect_autoclose(hquad)
     hquad.expect('Starting at')
 
diff --git a/Tools/autotest/autotest.py b/Tools/autotest/autotest.py
index 4353aff36a..3a374843f7 100755
--- a/Tools/autotest/autotest.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/autotest.py
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ You can get it from git://git.samba.org/tridge/UAV/HILTest.git
 parser = optparse.OptionParser("autotest")
 parser.add_option("--skip", type='string', default='', help='list of steps to skip (comma separated)')
 parser.add_option("--list", action='store_true', default=False, help='list the available steps')
+parser.add_option("--viewerip", default=None, help='IP address to send MAVLink and fg packets to')
 
 opts, args = parser.parse_args()
 
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ def run_step(step):
         return dump_logs('ArduCopter')
 
     if step == 'fly.ArduCopter':
-        return arducopter.fly_ArduCopter()
+        return arducopter.fly_ArduCopter(viewerip=opts.viewerip)
 
     if step == 'convertgpx':
         return convert_gpx()
@@ -264,6 +265,7 @@ try:
     if not run_tests(steps):
         sys.exit(1)
 except KeyboardInterrupt:
+    print("INTERRUPT: Stopping child processes ....")
     util.pexpect_close_all()
     sys.exit(1)
 except Exception: