diff --git a/ArduCopter/APM_Config.h b/ArduCopter/APM_Config.h
index 7d232e3af1..8ebef864e5 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/APM_Config.h
+++ b/ArduCopter/APM_Config.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 //#define MODE_ZIGZAG_ENABLED   DISABLED            // disable zigzag mode support
 //#define OSD_ENABLED           DISABLED            // disable on-screen-display support
 //#define BUTTON_ENABLED        DISABLED            // disable button support
+//#define LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED  DISABLED            // disable landing gear support
 
 // features below are disabled by default on all boards
 //#define CAL_ALWAYS_REBOOT                         // flight controller will reboot after compass or accelerometer calibration completes
diff --git a/ArduCopter/Copter.cpp b/ArduCopter/Copter.cpp
index 0093ba7263..5c09af1f37 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/Copter.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/Copter.cpp
@@ -142,7 +142,9 @@ const AP_Scheduler::Task Copter::scheduler_tasks[] = {
     SCHED_TASK(ekf_check,             10,     75),
     SCHED_TASK(check_vibration,       10,     50),
     SCHED_TASK(gpsglitch_check,       10,     50),
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
     SCHED_TASK(landinggear_update,    10,     75),
+#endif
     SCHED_TASK(standby_update,        100,    75),
     SCHED_TASK(lost_vehicle_check,    10,     50),
     SCHED_TASK_CLASS(GCS,                  (GCS*)&copter._gcs,          update_receive, 400, 180),
diff --git a/ArduCopter/Copter.h b/ArduCopter/Copter.h
index 7985cd87b9..0aac425824 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/Copter.h
+++ b/ArduCopter/Copter.h
@@ -515,7 +515,9 @@ private:
 #endif
 
     // Landing Gear Controller
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
     AP_LandingGear landinggear;
+#endif
 
     // terrain handling
 #if AP_TERRAIN_AVAILABLE && AC_TERRAIN && MODE_AUTO_ENABLED == ENABLED
@@ -770,8 +772,10 @@ private:
     void set_land_complete_maybe(bool b);
     void update_throttle_mix();
 
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
     // landing_gear.cpp
     void landinggear_update();
+#endif
 
     // standby.cpp
     void standby_update();
diff --git a/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp b/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
index 2668608615..180a5298fd 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
@@ -865,6 +865,7 @@ MAV_RESULT GCS_MAVLINK_Copter::handle_command_long_packet(const mavlink_command_
         return MAV_RESULT_FAILED;
 #endif
 
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
         case MAV_CMD_AIRFRAME_CONFIGURATION: {
             // Param 1: Select which gear, not used in ArduPilot
             // Param 2: 0 = Deploy, 1 = Retract
@@ -879,6 +880,7 @@ MAV_RESULT GCS_MAVLINK_Copter::handle_command_long_packet(const mavlink_command_
             }
             return MAV_RESULT_FAILED;
         }
+#endif
 
         /* Solo user presses Fly button */
     case MAV_CMD_SOLO_BTN_FLY_CLICK: {
diff --git a/ArduCopter/Parameters.cpp b/ArduCopter/Parameters.cpp
index fe9607f525..abaae2f8be 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/Parameters.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/Parameters.cpp
@@ -500,9 +500,11 @@ const AP_Param::Info Copter::var_info[] = {
     GOBJECT(parachute, "CHUTE_", AP_Parachute),
 #endif
 
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
     // @Group: LGR_
     // @Path: ../libraries/AP_LandingGear/AP_LandingGear.cpp
     GOBJECT(landinggear,    "LGR_", AP_LandingGear),
+#endif
 
 #if FRAME_CONFIG == HELI_FRAME
     // @Group: IM_
@@ -1161,8 +1163,10 @@ void Copter::load_parameters(void)
     AP_Param::load_all();
     AP_Param::convert_old_parameters(&conversion_table[0], ARRAY_SIZE(conversion_table));
 
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
     // convert landing gear parameters
     convert_lgr_parameters();
+#endif
 
     // convert fs_options parameters
     convert_fs_options_params();
@@ -1334,6 +1338,7 @@ void Copter::convert_pid_parameters(void)
     SRV_Channels::upgrade_parameters();
 }
 
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
 /*
   convert landing gear parameters
  */
@@ -1415,6 +1420,7 @@ void Copter::convert_lgr_parameters(void)
         servo_reversed->set_and_save_ifchanged(1);
     }
 }
+#endif
 
 #if FRAME_CONFIG == HELI_FRAME
 // handle conversion of tradheli parameters from Copter-3.6 to Copter-3.7
diff --git a/ArduCopter/config.h b/ArduCopter/config.h
index d677d1bba9..8c1789be6f 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/config.h
+++ b/ArduCopter/config.h
@@ -377,6 +377,12 @@
  # define BUTTON_ENABLED ENABLED
 #endif
 
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// Landing Gear support
+#ifndef LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED
+ #define LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED !HAL_MINIMIZE_FEATURES
+#endif
+
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // RADIO CONFIGURATION
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/ArduCopter/crash_check.cpp b/ArduCopter/crash_check.cpp
index b68890c3d7..c1fe3e7a2c 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/crash_check.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/crash_check.cpp
@@ -329,8 +329,10 @@ void Copter::parachute_release()
     // release parachute
     parachute.release();
 
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
     // deploy landing gear
     landinggear.set_position(AP_LandingGear::LandingGear_Deploy);
+#endif
 }
 
 // parachute_manual_release - trigger the release of the parachute, after performing some checks for pilot error
diff --git a/ArduCopter/landing_gear.cpp b/ArduCopter/landing_gear.cpp
index b61127513d..c93657df55 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/landing_gear.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/landing_gear.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "Copter.h"
 
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
 
 // Run landing gear controller at 10Hz
 void Copter::landinggear_update()
@@ -33,3 +34,5 @@ void Copter::landinggear_update()
 
     landinggear.update(height_cm * 0.01f); // convert cm->m for update call
 }
+
+#endif // LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED
diff --git a/ArduCopter/mode_auto.cpp b/ArduCopter/mode_auto.cpp
index 0352c2a41b..9d5be6d650 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/mode_auto.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/mode_auto.cpp
@@ -248,8 +248,10 @@ void ModeAuto::land_start(const Vector3f& destination)
     // initialise yaw
     auto_yaw.set_mode(AUTO_YAW_HOLD);
 
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
     // optionally deploy landing gear
     copter.landinggear.deploy_for_landing();
+#endif
 
 #if AC_FENCE == ENABLED
     // disable the fence on landing
@@ -1521,11 +1523,13 @@ bool ModeAuto::verify_takeoff()
     // have we reached our target altitude?
     const bool reached_wp_dest = copter.wp_nav->reached_wp_destination();
 
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
     // if we have reached our destination
     if (reached_wp_dest) {
         // retract the landing gear
         copter.landinggear.retract_after_takeoff();
     }
+#endif
 
     return reached_wp_dest;
 }
diff --git a/ArduCopter/mode_guided.cpp b/ArduCopter/mode_guided.cpp
index 0f79ee3d2d..aca72cf9fd 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/mode_guided.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/mode_guided.cpp
@@ -406,8 +406,10 @@ void ModeGuided::takeoff_run()
 {
     auto_takeoff_run();
     if (wp_nav->reached_wp_destination()) {
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
         // optionally retract landing gear
         copter.landinggear.retract_after_takeoff();
+#endif
 
         // switch to position control mode but maintain current target
         const Vector3f target = wp_nav->get_wp_destination();
diff --git a/ArduCopter/mode_land.cpp b/ArduCopter/mode_land.cpp
index 6768a179f1..7e6bcd8edc 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/mode_land.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/mode_land.cpp
@@ -37,8 +37,10 @@ bool ModeLand::init(bool ignore_checks)
     // initialise yaw
     auto_yaw.set_mode(AUTO_YAW_HOLD);
 
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
     // optionally deploy landing gear
     copter.landinggear.deploy_for_landing();
+#endif
 
 #if AC_FENCE == ENABLED
     // disable the fence on landing
diff --git a/ArduCopter/mode_rtl.cpp b/ArduCopter/mode_rtl.cpp
index ed597a059e..b929c2e577 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/mode_rtl.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/mode_rtl.cpp
@@ -275,8 +275,10 @@ void ModeRTL::descent_start()
     // initialise yaw
     auto_yaw.set_mode(AUTO_YAW_HOLD);
 
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
     // optionally deploy landing gear
     copter.landinggear.deploy_for_landing();
+#endif
 
 #if AC_FENCE == ENABLED
     // disable the fence on landing
@@ -368,8 +370,10 @@ void ModeRTL::land_start()
     // initialise yaw
     auto_yaw.set_mode(AUTO_YAW_HOLD);
 
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
     // optionally deploy landing gear
     copter.landinggear.deploy_for_landing();
+#endif
 
 #if AC_FENCE == ENABLED
     // disable the fence on landing
diff --git a/ArduCopter/system.cpp b/ArduCopter/system.cpp
index a6d4fc4377..c4876a738f 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/system.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/system.cpp
@@ -138,8 +138,10 @@ void Copter::init_ardupilot()
     init_precland();
 #endif
 
+#if LANDING_GEAR_ENABLED == ENABLED
     // initialise landing gear position
     landinggear.init();
+#endif
 
 #ifdef USERHOOK_INIT
     USERHOOK_INIT