diff --git a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
index dddca9553d..24df8249af 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
@@ -1400,7 +1400,7 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK_Plane::handleMessage(mavlink_message_t* msg)
     case MAVLINK_MSG_ID_PARAM_REQUEST_LIST:
     {
         // mark the firmware version in the tlog
-        send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, FIRMWARE_STRING);
+        send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, fwver.fw_string);
 
 #if defined(PX4_GIT_VERSION) && defined(NUTTX_GIT_VERSION)
         send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "PX4: " PX4_GIT_VERSION " NuttX: " NUTTX_GIT_VERSION);
@@ -1920,4 +1920,3 @@ bool GCS_MAVLINK_Plane::set_mode(const uint8_t mode)
     }
     return false;
 }
-
diff --git a/ArduPlane/Plane.cpp b/ArduPlane/Plane.cpp
index 5fcc7e4c82..5c0614cc18 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Plane.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/Plane.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ const AP_HAL::HAL& hal = AP_HAL::get_HAL();
   constructor for main Plane class
  */
 Plane::Plane(void)
-    : DataFlash{FIRMWARE_STRING, g.log_bitmask}
+    : DataFlash{fwver.fw_string, g.log_bitmask}
 {
     // C++11 doesn't allow in-class initialisation of bitfields
     auto_state.takeoff_complete = true;
diff --git a/ArduPlane/Plane.h b/ArduPlane/Plane.h
index c745de7167..59f8842777 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Plane.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/Plane.h
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@
 #include "Parameters.h"
 #include "avoidance_adsb.h"
 #include "AP_Arming.h"
+#include "version.h"
 
 #if CONFIG_HAL_BOARD == HAL_BOARD_SITL
 #include <SITL/SITL.h>
@@ -156,6 +157,19 @@ public:
     void loop() override;
 
 private:
+
+    const AP_FWVersion fwver {
+        major: FW_MAJOR,
+        minor: FW_MINOR,
+        patch: FW_PATCH,
+        fw_type: FW_TYPE,
+#ifndef GIT_VERSION
+        fw_string: THISFIRMWARE
+#else
+        fw_string: THISFIRMWARE " (" GIT_VERSION ")"
+#endif
+    };
+
     // key aircraft parameters passed to multiple libraries
     AP_Vehicle::FixedWing aparm;
 
diff --git a/ArduPlane/system.cpp b/ArduPlane/system.cpp
index d87b5aa119..d0b29e6fac 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/system.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/system.cpp
@@ -23,8 +23,9 @@ void Plane::init_ardupilot()
     // initialise serial port
     serial_manager.init_console();
 
-    hal.console->printf("\n\nInit " FIRMWARE_STRING
+    hal.console->printf("\n\nInit %s"
                         "\n\nFree RAM: %u\n",
+                        fwver.fw_string,
                         (unsigned)hal.util->available_memory());
 
 
@@ -114,7 +115,7 @@ void Plane::init_ardupilot()
     // setup frsky
 #if FRSKY_TELEM_ENABLED == ENABLED
     // setup frsky, and pass a number of parameters to the library
-    frsky_telemetry.init(serial_manager, FIRMWARE_STRING,
+    frsky_telemetry.init(serial_manager, fwver.fw_string,
                          MAV_TYPE_FIXED_WING,
                          &g.fs_batt_voltage, &g.fs_batt_mah);
 #endif
diff --git a/ArduPlane/version.h b/ArduPlane/version.h
index 56b913ea9e..8cc104e0df 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/version.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/version.h
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#include "ap_version.h"
+#include "AP_Common/AP_FWVersion.h"
 
 #define THISFIRMWARE "ArduPlane V3.8.1-dev"
+
+// the following line is parsed by the autotest scripts
 #define FIRMWARE_VERSION 3,8,1,FIRMWARE_VERSION_TYPE_DEV
 
-#ifndef GIT_VERSION
-#define FIRMWARE_STRING THISFIRMWARE
-#else
-#define FIRMWARE_STRING THISFIRMWARE " (" GIT_VERSION ")"
-#endif
+#define FW_MAJOR 3
+#define FW_MINOR 8
+#define FW_PATCH 1
+#define FW_TYPE FIRMWARE_VERSION_TYPE_DEV