diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify.cpp b/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify.cpp
index da5ebde379..abfb047711 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "Buzzer.h"
 #include "Display.h"
 #include "ExternalLED.h"
+#include "GPIO_LED_1.h"
 #include "IS31FL3195.h"
 #include "PCA9685LED_I2C.h"
 #include "NavigatorLED.h"
@@ -311,6 +312,9 @@ void AP_Notify::add_backends(void)
                 ADD_BACKEND(NEW_NOTHROW AP_BoardLED());
 #elif AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_2_ENABLED
                 ADD_BACKEND(NEW_NOTHROW AP_BoardLED2());
+#endif
+#if AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_1_ENABLED
+                ADD_BACKEND(NEW_NOTHROW GPIO_LED_1());
 #endif
                 break;
 #if AP_NOTIFY_TOSHIBALED_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify_config.h b/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify_config.h
index 23b7c6c8b1..0bc83f1905 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify_config.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify_config.h
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@
 #define AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_2_ENABLED 0
 #endif
 
+#ifndef AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_1_ENABLED
+#define AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_1_ENABLED 0
+#endif
+
 #ifndef AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_RGB_ENABLED
 #define AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_RGB_ENABLED 0
 #endif
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/GPIO_LED_1.cpp b/libraries/AP_Notify/GPIO_LED_1.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..950a1ce49c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/GPIO_LED_1.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+/*
+   This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+   (at your option) any later version.
+
+   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+   GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+   along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include "AP_Notify_config.h"
+
+#if AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_1_ENABLED
+
+#include "GPIO_LED_1.h"
+
+#include <AP_HAL/HAL.h>
+#include "AP_Notify.h"
+
+#ifndef AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_A_PIN
+#error "define AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_A_PIN"
+#endif
+
+extern const AP_HAL::HAL& hal;
+
+bool GPIO_LED_1::init(void)
+{
+    // when HAL_GPIO_LED_ON is 0 then we must not use pinMode()
+    // as it could remove the OPENDRAIN attribute on the pin
+#if HAL_GPIO_LED_ON != 0
+    hal.gpio->pinMode(AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_A_PIN, HAL_GPIO_OUTPUT);
+#endif
+    hal.gpio->write(AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_A_PIN, HAL_GPIO_LED_OFF);
+    return true;
+}
+
+/*
+  main update function called at 50Hz
+ */
+void GPIO_LED_1::update(void)
+{
+    uint32_t new_pattern;
+    if (AP_Notify::flags.initialising) {
+        new_pattern = INITIALIZING;
+    } else if (AP_Notify::flags.armed) {
+        new_pattern = ARMED;
+    } else if (AP_Notify::flags.pre_arm_check) {
+        new_pattern = READY_TO_ARM;
+    } else {
+        new_pattern = NOT_READY_TO_ARM;
+    }
+    if (new_pattern != current_pattern) {
+        next_bit = 0;
+        current_pattern = new_pattern;
+        last_timestep_ms = 0;
+    }
+
+    const uint32_t now_ms = AP_HAL::millis();
+    if (now_ms - last_timestep_ms < 100) {
+        return;
+    }
+    last_timestep_ms = now_ms;
+
+    const auto new_state = (current_pattern & (1U<<next_bit)) ? HAL_GPIO_LED_ON : HAL_GPIO_LED_OFF;
+    hal.gpio->write(AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_A_PIN, new_state);
+    next_bit++;
+    if (next_bit > 31) {
+        next_bit = 0;
+    }
+}
+
+#endif  // AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_1_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/GPIO_LED_1.h b/libraries/AP_Notify/GPIO_LED_1.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..129e6cac52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/GPIO_LED_1.h
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/*
+   This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+   (at your option) any later version.
+
+   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+   GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+   along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+#pragma once
+
+#include "AP_Notify_config.h"
+
+#if AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_1_ENABLED
+
+#include <AP_Common/AP_Common.h>
+#include <AP_HAL/AP_HAL_Boards.h>
+
+#include "NotifyDevice.h"
+
+class GPIO_LED_1 : public NotifyDevice
+{
+public:
+    // initialise the LED driver
+    bool init(void) override;
+
+    // should be called at 50Hz
+    void update(void) override;
+
+private:
+
+    // left-to-right, each bit represents 100ms
+    static const uint32_t INITIALIZING = 0b10101010101010101010101010101010UL;
+    static const uint32_t NOT_READY_TO_ARM = 0b11111111000000001111111100000000UL;
+    static const uint32_t READY_TO_ARM = 0b11111111111111100000000000000000UL;
+    static const uint32_t ARMED = 0b11111111111111111111111111111111UL;
+
+    uint32_t current_pattern = INITIALIZING;
+    uint32_t last_timestep_ms;
+    uint8_t next_bit;
+};
+
+#endif  // AP_NOTIFY_GPIO_LED_1_ENABLED