diff --git a/libraries/AP_Stats/AP_Stats.cpp b/libraries/AP_Stats/AP_Stats.cpp
index cf0b298dc5..7f249750f0 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Stats/AP_Stats.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Stats/AP_Stats.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ const AP_Param::GroupInfo AP_Stats::var_info[] = {
     // @User: Standard
     AP_GROUPINFO("_FLTTIME",    1, AP_Stats, params.flttime, 0),
 
+    // @Param: _RUNTIME
+    // @DisplayName: Total RunTime
+    // @Description: Total time autopilot has run
+    // @User: Standard
+    AP_GROUPINFO("_RUNTIME",    2, AP_Stats, params.runtime, 0),
+
     AP_GROUPEND
 };
 
@@ -24,11 +30,14 @@ void AP_Stats::init()
 
     // initialise our variables from parameters:
     flttime = params.flttime;
+    runtime = params.runtime;
 }
 
+
 void AP_Stats::flush()
 {
     params.flttime.set_and_save(flttime);
+    params.runtime.set_and_save(runtime);
 }
 
 void AP_Stats::update_flighttime()
@@ -41,11 +50,20 @@ void AP_Stats::update_flighttime()
     }
 }
 
+void AP_Stats::update_runtime()
+{
+    const uint32_t now = AP_HAL::millis();
+    const uint32_t delta = (now - _last_runtime_ms)/1000;
+    runtime += delta;
+    _last_runtime_ms += delta*1000;
+}
+
 void AP_Stats::update()
 {
     const uint32_t now_ms = AP_HAL::millis();
     if (now_ms -  last_flush_ms > flush_interval_ms) {
         update_flighttime();
+        update_runtime();
         flush();
         last_flush_ms = now_ms;
     }
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Stats/AP_Stats.h b/libraries/AP_Stats/AP_Stats.h
index 72f39f8de1..f927ccafe7 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Stats/AP_Stats.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Stats/AP_Stats.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ public:
     // parameters.  If you add a variable here, make sure to update
     // init() to set initial values from the parameters!
     uint32_t flttime; // seconds in flight (or driving)
+    uint32_t runtime; // total wallclock time spent running ArduPilot (seconds)
 
     void init();
 
@@ -33,13 +34,16 @@ private:
     struct {
         AP_Int16 bootcount;
         AP_Int32 flttime;
+        AP_Int32 runtime;
     } params;
 
     uint64_t last_flush_ms; // in terms of system uptime
     const uint16_t flush_interval_ms = 30000;
 
     uint64_t _flying_ms;
+    uint64_t _last_runtime_ms;
 
     void update_flighttime();
+    void update_runtime();
 
 };