diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.cpp b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.cpp
index b6050fa56b..b30ab6fc64 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.cpp
@@ -912,6 +912,18 @@ Mavlink::send_statustext(unsigned char severity, const char *string)
 	mavlink_logbuffer_write(&_logbuffer, &logmsg);
 }
 
+void Mavlink::send_autopilot_capabilites() {
+	struct vehicle_status_s status;
+
+	MavlinkOrbSubscription *status_sub = this->add_orb_subscription(ORB_ID(vehicle_status));
+
+	if (status_sub->update(&status)) {
+		mavlink_autopilot_version_t msg;
+		msg.capabilities = status.autopilot_capabilites;
+		this->send_message(MAVLINK_MSG_ID_AUTOPILOT_VERSION, &msg);
+	}
+}
+
 MavlinkOrbSubscription *Mavlink::add_orb_subscription(const orb_id_t topic, int instance)
 {
 	/* check if already subscribed to this topic */
@@ -1434,6 +1446,8 @@ Mavlink::task_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	/* now the instance is fully initialized and we can bump the instance count */
 	LL_APPEND(_mavlink_instances, this);
 
+	send_autopilot_capabilites();
+
 	while (!_task_should_exit) {
 		/* main loop */
 		usleep(_main_loop_delay);
diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.h b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.h
index 90b84061f6..b732355b44 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.h
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.h
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ public:
 	 * @param severity the log level
 	 */
 	void			send_statustext(unsigned char severity, const char *string);
+	void 			send_autopilot_capabilites();
 
 	MavlinkStream *		get_streams() const { return _streams; }
 
diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
index 40adc6b054..29b4fbcabb 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
@@ -278,7 +278,9 @@ MavlinkReceiver::handle_message_command_long(mavlink_message_t *msg)
 
 			/* terminate other threads and this thread */
 			_mavlink->_task_should_exit = true;
-
+		} else if (cmd_mavlink.command == MAV_CMD_REQUEST_AUTOPILOT_CAPABILITIES) {
+			/* send autopilot version message */
+			_mavlink->send_autopilot_capabilites();
 		} else {
 
 			if (msg->sysid == mavlink_system.sysid && msg->compid == mavlink_system.compid) {