diff --git a/Tools/HIL/monitor_firmware_upload.py b/Tools/HIL/monitor_firmware_upload.py
index 9388e0fea0..27309b8639 100755
--- a/Tools/HIL/monitor_firmware_upload.py
+++ b/Tools/HIL/monitor_firmware_upload.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from argparse import ArgumentParser
 import re
 import sys
 import datetime
+import serial.tools.list_ports as list_ports
 
 COLOR_RED    = "\x1b[31m"
 COLOR_GREEN  = "\x1b[32m"
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ def print_line(line):
     else:
         print('{0}'.format(line), end='')
 
+
 def monitor_firmware_upload(port, baudrate):
     ser = serial.Serial(port, baudrate, bytesize=serial.EIGHTBITS, parity=serial.PARITY_NONE, stopbits=serial.STOPBITS_ONE, timeout=1, xonxoff=False, rtscts=False, dsrdtr=False)
 
@@ -70,8 +72,30 @@ def monitor_firmware_upload(port, baudrate):
             ser.flush()
 
 def main():
+
+    default_device = None
+    device_required = True
+
+    # select USB UART as default if there's only 1
+    ports = list(serial.tools.list_ports.grep('USB UART'))
+
+    if (len(ports) == 1):
+        default_device = ports[0].device
+        device_required = False
+
+        print("Default USB UART port: {0}".format(ports[0].name))
+        print(" device: {0}".format(ports[0].device))
+        print(" description: \"{0}\" ".format(ports[0].description))
+        print(" hwid: {0}".format(ports[0].hwid))
+        #print(" vid: {0}, pid: {1}".format(ports[0].vid, ports[0].pid))
+        #print(" serial_number: {0}".format(ports[0].serial_number))
+        #print(" location: {0}".format(ports[0].location))
+        print(" manufacturer: {0}".format(ports[0].manufacturer))
+        #print(" product: {0}".format(ports[0].product))
+        #print(" interface: {0}".format(ports[0].interface))
+
     parser = ArgumentParser(description=__doc__)
-    parser.add_argument('--device', "-d", nargs='?', default=None, help='', required=True)
+    parser.add_argument('--device', "-d", nargs='?', default=default_device, help='', required=device_required)
     parser.add_argument("--baudrate", "-b", dest="baudrate", type=int, help="Mavlink port baud rate (default=57600)", default=57600)
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
diff --git a/Tools/HIL/nsh_param_set.py b/Tools/HIL/nsh_param_set.py
index 115e29fcbb..1500ac0eab 100755
--- a/Tools/HIL/nsh_param_set.py
+++ b/Tools/HIL/nsh_param_set.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ from subprocess import call, Popen
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
 import re
 import sys
+import datetime
+import serial.tools.list_ports as list_ports
 
 COLOR_RED    = "\x1b[31m"
 COLOR_GREEN  = "\x1b[32m"
@@ -29,7 +31,12 @@ def print_line(line):
     if "FAILED" in line:
         line = line.replace("FAILED", f"{COLOR_RED}FAILED{COLOR_RESET}", 1)
 
-    print(line, end='')
+    if "\n" in line:
+        current_time = datetime.datetime.now()
+        print('[{0}] {1}'.format(current_time.isoformat(timespec='milliseconds'), line), end='')
+    else:
+        print('{0}'.format(line), end='')
+
 
 def do_param_set_cmd(port, baudrate, param_name, param_value):
     ser = serial.Serial(port, baudrate, bytesize=serial.EIGHTBITS, parity=serial.PARITY_NONE, stopbits=serial.STOPBITS_ONE, timeout=1, xonxoff=False, rtscts=False, dsrdtr=False)
@@ -126,8 +133,30 @@ def do_param_set_cmd(port, baudrate, param_name, param_value):
     ser.close()
 
 def main():
+
+    default_device = None
+    device_required = True
+
+    # select USB UART as default if there's only 1
+    ports = list(serial.tools.list_ports.grep('USB UART'))
+
+    if (len(ports) == 1):
+        default_device = ports[0].device
+        device_required = False
+
+        print("Default USB UART port: {0}".format(ports[0].name))
+        print(" device: {0}".format(ports[0].device))
+        print(" description: \"{0}\" ".format(ports[0].description))
+        print(" hwid: {0}".format(ports[0].hwid))
+        #print(" vid: {0}, pid: {1}".format(ports[0].vid, ports[0].pid))
+        #print(" serial_number: {0}".format(ports[0].serial_number))
+        #print(" location: {0}".format(ports[0].location))
+        print(" manufacturer: {0}".format(ports[0].manufacturer))
+        #print(" product: {0}".format(ports[0].product))
+        #print(" interface: {0}".format(ports[0].interface))
+
     parser = ArgumentParser(description=__doc__)
-    parser.add_argument('--device', "-d", nargs='?', default=None, help='', required=True)
+    parser.add_argument('--device', "-d", nargs='?', default=default_device, help='', required=device_required)
     parser.add_argument("--baudrate", "-b", dest="baudrate", type=int, help="Mavlink port baud rate (default=57600)", default=57600)
     parser.add_argument("--name", "-p", dest="param_name", help="Parameter name")
     parser.add_argument("--value", "-v", dest="param_value", help="Parameter value")
diff --git a/Tools/HIL/reboot.py b/Tools/HIL/reboot.py
index 3af5b8106a..892e538a47 100755
--- a/Tools/HIL/reboot.py
+++ b/Tools/HIL/reboot.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from argparse import ArgumentParser
 import re
 import sys
 import datetime
+import serial.tools.list_ports as list_ports
 
 COLOR_RED    = "\x1b[31m"
 COLOR_GREEN  = "\x1b[32m"
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ def print_line(line):
     else:
         print('{0}'.format(line), end='')
 
+
 def reboot(port, baudrate):
     ser = serial.Serial(port, baudrate, bytesize=serial.EIGHTBITS, parity=serial.PARITY_NONE, stopbits=serial.STOPBITS_ONE, timeout=1, xonxoff=False, rtscts=False, dsrdtr=False)
 
@@ -75,8 +77,30 @@ def reboot(port, baudrate):
             sys.exit(-1)
 
 def main():
+
+    default_device = None
+    device_required = True
+
+    # select USB UART as default if there's only 1
+    ports = list(serial.tools.list_ports.grep('USB UART'))
+
+    if (len(ports) == 1):
+        default_device = ports[0].device
+        device_required = False
+
+        print("Default USB UART port: {0}".format(ports[0].name))
+        print(" device: {0}".format(ports[0].device))
+        print(" description: \"{0}\" ".format(ports[0].description))
+        print(" hwid: {0}".format(ports[0].hwid))
+        #print(" vid: {0}, pid: {1}".format(ports[0].vid, ports[0].pid))
+        #print(" serial_number: {0}".format(ports[0].serial_number))
+        #print(" location: {0}".format(ports[0].location))
+        print(" manufacturer: {0}".format(ports[0].manufacturer))
+        #print(" product: {0}".format(ports[0].product))
+        #print(" interface: {0}".format(ports[0].interface))
+
     parser = ArgumentParser(description=__doc__)
-    parser.add_argument('--device', "-d", nargs='?', default=None, help='', required=True)
+    parser.add_argument('--device', "-d", nargs='?', default=default_device, help='', required=device_required)
     parser.add_argument("--baudrate", "-b", dest="baudrate", type=int, help="Mavlink port baud rate (default=57600)", default=57600)
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
diff --git a/Tools/HIL/run_nsh_cmd.py b/Tools/HIL/run_nsh_cmd.py
index 8ede7b2286..33a67121c6 100755
--- a/Tools/HIL/run_nsh_cmd.py
+++ b/Tools/HIL/run_nsh_cmd.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from argparse import ArgumentParser
 import re
 import sys
 import datetime
+import serial.tools.list_ports as list_ports
 
 COLOR_RED    = "\x1b[31m"
 COLOR_GREEN  = "\x1b[32m"
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ def do_nsh_cmd(port, baudrate, cmd):
     # wait for nsh prompt
     while True:
         ser.write("\n".encode("ascii"))
+        ser.flush()
 
         serial_line = ser.readline().decode("ascii", errors='ignore')
 
@@ -126,8 +128,30 @@ def do_nsh_cmd(port, baudrate, cmd):
     ser.close()
 
 def main():
+
+    default_device = None
+    device_required = True
+
+    # select USB UART as default if there's only 1
+    ports = list(serial.tools.list_ports.grep('USB UART'))
+
+    if (len(ports) == 1):
+        default_device = ports[0].device
+        device_required = False
+
+        print("Default USB UART port: {0}".format(ports[0].name))
+        print(" device: {0}".format(ports[0].device))
+        print(" description: \"{0}\" ".format(ports[0].description))
+        print(" hwid: {0}".format(ports[0].hwid))
+        #print(" vid: {0}, pid: {1}".format(ports[0].vid, ports[0].pid))
+        #print(" serial_number: {0}".format(ports[0].serial_number))
+        #print(" location: {0}".format(ports[0].location))
+        print(" manufacturer: {0}".format(ports[0].manufacturer))
+        #print(" product: {0}".format(ports[0].product))
+        #print(" interface: {0}".format(ports[0].interface))
+
     parser = ArgumentParser(description=__doc__)
-    parser.add_argument('--device', "-d", nargs='?', default=None, help='', required=True)
+    parser.add_argument('--device', "-d", nargs='?', default=default_device, help='', required=device_required)
     parser.add_argument("--baudrate", "-b", dest="baudrate", type=int, help="Mavlink port baud rate (default=57600)", default=57600)
     parser.add_argument("--cmd", "-c", dest="cmd", help="Command to run")
     args = parser.parse_args()
diff --git a/Tools/HIL/run_tests.py b/Tools/HIL/run_tests.py
index 0291169494..b47035c25b 100755
--- a/Tools/HIL/run_tests.py
+++ b/Tools/HIL/run_tests.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import unittest
 import os
 import sys
 import datetime
+import serial.tools.list_ports as list_ports
 
 COLOR_RED    = "\x1b[31m"
 COLOR_GREEN  = "\x1b[32m"
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ def print_line(line):
     else:
         print('{0}'.format(line), end='')
 
+
 def do_test(port, baudrate, test_name):
     ser = serial.Serial(port, baudrate, bytesize=serial.EIGHTBITS, parity=serial.PARITY_NONE, stopbits=serial.STOPBITS_ONE, timeout=1, xonxoff=False, rtscts=False, dsrdtr=False)
 
@@ -47,6 +49,7 @@ def do_test(port, baudrate, test_name):
     # wait for nsh prompt
     while True:
         ser.write("\n".encode("ascii"))
+        ser.flush()
 
         serial_line = ser.readline().decode("ascii", errors='ignore')
 
@@ -206,8 +209,30 @@ class TestHardwareMethods(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertTrue(do_test(self.TEST_DEVICE, self.TEST_BAUDRATE, "versioning"))
 
 def main():
+
+    default_device = None
+    device_required = True
+
+    # select USB UART as default if there's only 1
+    ports = list(serial.tools.list_ports.grep('USB UART'))
+
+    if (len(ports) == 1):
+        default_device = ports[0].device
+        device_required = False
+
+        print("Default USB UART port: {0}".format(ports[0].name))
+        print(" device: {0}".format(ports[0].device))
+        print(" description: \"{0}\" ".format(ports[0].description))
+        print(" hwid: {0}".format(ports[0].hwid))
+        #print(" vid: {0}, pid: {1}".format(ports[0].vid, ports[0].pid))
+        #print(" serial_number: {0}".format(ports[0].serial_number))
+        #print(" location: {0}".format(ports[0].location))
+        print(" manufacturer: {0}".format(ports[0].manufacturer))
+        #print(" product: {0}".format(ports[0].product))
+        #print(" interface: {0}".format(ports[0].interface))
+
     parser = ArgumentParser(description=__doc__)
-    parser.add_argument('--device', "-d", nargs='?', default=None, help='', required=True)
+    parser.add_argument('--device', "-d", nargs='?', default=default_device, help='', required=device_required)
     parser.add_argument("--baudrate", "-b", dest="baudrate", type=int, help="Mavlink port baud rate (default=57600)", default=57600)
     args = parser.parse_args()