diff --git a/libraries/AP_Common/AP_FWVersion.h b/libraries/AP_Common/AP_FWVersion.h
index 0bf66e978e..bbbbe9c621 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Common/AP_FWVersion.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Common/AP_FWVersion.h
@@ -3,21 +3,35 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.h>
 
-class AP_FWVersion {
+class PACKED AP_FWVersion {
 
 public:
-
+    /**
+     * @brief Struct to hold infomation about the software version struct
+     *
+     */
+    // First 7 MSBs are a start sequence, LSB is a checksum
+    const uint64_t header;
+    // MSB (major version breaks compatibility), LSB (minor version no compatibility break)
+    const uint16_t header_version;
+    // Pointer size to extract pointer values
+    const uint8_t pointer_size;
+
+    const uint8_t reserved; // padding
+    const uint8_t vehicle_type;
+    const uint8_t board_type;
+    const uint16_t board_subtype;
     const uint8_t major;
     const uint8_t minor;
     const uint8_t patch;
-    const FIRMWARE_VERSION_TYPE fw_type;
+    const uint8_t fw_type; /*FIRMWARE_VERSION_TYPE*/
+    const uint32_t os_sw_version;
     const char *fw_string;
     const char *fw_hash_str;
     const char *middleware_name;
     const char *middleware_hash_str;
     const char *os_name;
     const char *os_hash_str;
-    const uint32_t os_sw_version;
 
     static const AP_FWVersion &get_fwverz() { return fwver; }
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Common/AP_FWVersionDefine.h b/libraries/AP_Common/AP_FWVersionDefine.h
index a93fc7c78c..aff9210b8d 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Common/AP_FWVersionDefine.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Common/AP_FWVersionDefine.h
@@ -21,12 +21,27 @@
 #endif
 
 #include <AP_Common/AP_FWVersion.h>
+#include <AP_Vehicle/AP_Vehicle_Type.h>
 
 const AP_FWVersion AP_FWVersion::fwver{
+    // Version header struct
+    .header = 0x61706677766572fb, // First 7 MSBs: "apfwver", LSB is the checksum of the previous string: 0xfb
+    .header_version = 0x0100U, // Major and minor version
+    .pointer_size = static_cast<uint8_t>(sizeof(void*)),
+    .reserved = 0,
+    .vehicle_type = static_cast<uint8_t>(APM_BUILD_DIRECTORY),
+    .board_type = static_cast<uint8_t>(CONFIG_HAL_BOARD),
+    .board_subtype = static_cast<uint16_t>(CONFIG_HAL_BOARD_SUBTYPE),
     .major = FW_MAJOR,
     .minor = FW_MINOR,
     .patch = FW_PATCH,
     .fw_type = FW_TYPE,
+#ifdef BUILD_DATE_YEAR
+    // encode build date in os_sw_version
+   .os_sw_version = (BUILD_DATE_YEAR*100*100) + (BUILD_DATE_MONTH*100) + BUILD_DATE_DAY,
+#else
+   .os_sw_version = 0,
+#endif
 #ifndef GIT_VERSION
     .fw_string = THISFIRMWARE,
     .fw_hash_str = "",
@@ -43,10 +58,4 @@ const AP_FWVersion AP_FWVersion::fwver{
     .os_name = nullptr,
     .os_hash_str = nullptr,
 #endif
-#ifdef BUILD_DATE_YEAR
-    // encode build date in os_sw_version
-   .os_sw_version = (BUILD_DATE_YEAR*100*100) + (BUILD_DATE_MONTH*100) + BUILD_DATE_DAY,
-#else
-   .os_sw_version = 0,
-#endif
 };