diff --git a/ArduCopter/Copter.h b/ArduCopter/Copter.h
index 976c0664b7..0a2c539cae 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/Copter.h
+++ b/ArduCopter/Copter.h
@@ -863,7 +863,6 @@ private:
     bool ekf_alt_ok() const;
     void update_auto_armed();
     bool should_log(uint32_t mask);
-    MAV_TYPE get_frame_mav_type();
     const char* get_frame_string() const;
     void allocate_motors(void);
     bool is_tradheli() const;
diff --git a/ArduCopter/GCS_Copter.cpp b/ArduCopter/GCS_Copter.cpp
index 9657a94961..c111b02d48 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/GCS_Copter.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/GCS_Copter.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ uint8_t GCS_Copter::sysid_this_mav() const
 
 const char* GCS_Copter::frame_string() const
 {
+    if (copter.motors == nullptr) {
+        return "motors not allocated";
+    }
     return copter.motors->get_frame_string();
 }
 
diff --git a/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp b/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
index faf22e0d5e..29fcd1e760 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
@@ -548,7 +548,12 @@ bool GCS_MAVLINK_Copter::params_ready() const
 void GCS_MAVLINK_Copter::send_banner()
 {
     GCS_MAVLINK::send_banner();
-    send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Frame: %s", copter.motors->get_frame_string());
+    if (copter.motors == nullptr) {
+        send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "motors not allocated");
+        return;
+    }
+    send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Frame: %s/%s", copter.motors->get_frame_string(),
+                                                 copter.motors->get_type_string());
 }
 
 // a RC override message is considered to be a 'heartbeat' from the ground station for failsafe purposes
diff --git a/ArduCopter/Log.cpp b/ArduCopter/Log.cpp
index 3eb4c7227c..4b54f1c99c 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/Log.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/Log.cpp
@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ const struct LogStructure Copter::log_structure[] = {
 void Copter::Log_Write_Vehicle_Startup_Messages()
 {
     // only 200(?) bytes are guaranteed by AP_Logger
-    logger.Write_MessageF("Frame: %s, Type: %s", motors->get_frame_string(), motors->get_type_string());
+    logger.Write_MessageF("Frame: %s/%s", motors->get_frame_string(), motors->get_type_string());
     logger.Write_Mode((uint8_t)control_mode, control_mode_reason);
     ahrs.Log_Write_Home_And_Origin();
     gps.Write_AP_Logger_Log_Startup_messages();
diff --git a/ArduCopter/system.cpp b/ArduCopter/system.cpp
index c54887c411..5f33d57db2 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/system.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/system.cpp
@@ -448,74 +448,6 @@ bool Copter::should_log(uint32_t mask)
 #endif
 }
 
-// return string corresponding to frame_class
-const char* Copter::get_frame_string() const
-{
-    switch ((AP_Motors::motor_frame_class)g2.frame_class.get()) {
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_QUAD:
-            return "QUAD";
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_HEXA:
-            return "HEXA";
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_Y6:
-            return "Y6";
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_OCTA:
-            return "OCTA";
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_OCTAQUAD:
-            return "OCTA_QUAD";
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_HELI:
-            return "HELI";
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_HELI_DUAL:
-            return "HELI_DUAL";
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_HELI_QUAD:
-            return "HELI_QUAD";
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_TRI:
-            return "TRI";
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_SINGLE:
-            return "SINGLE";
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_COAX:
-            return "COAX";
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_TAILSITTER:
-            return "TAILSITTER";
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_DODECAHEXA:
-            return "DODECA_HEXA";
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_DECA:
-            return "DECA";
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_UNDEFINED:
-        default:
-            return "UNKNOWN";
-    }
-// return MAV_TYPE corresponding to frame class
-MAV_TYPE Copter::get_frame_mav_type()
-{
-    switch ((AP_Motors::motor_frame_class)g2.frame_class.get()) {
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_QUAD:
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_UNDEFINED:
-            return MAV_TYPE_QUADROTOR;
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_HEXA:
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_Y6:
-            return MAV_TYPE_HEXAROTOR;
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_OCTA:
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_OCTAQUAD:
-            return MAV_TYPE_OCTOROTOR;
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_HELI:
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_HELI_DUAL:
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_HELI_QUAD:
-            return MAV_TYPE_HELICOPTER;
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_TRI:
-            return MAV_TYPE_TRICOPTER;
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_SINGLE:
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_COAX:
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_TAILSITTER:
-            return MAV_TYPE_COAXIAL;
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_DODECAHEXA:
-            return MAV_TYPE_DODECAROTOR;
-        case AP_Motors::MOTOR_FRAME_DECA:
-            return MAV_TYPE_DECAROTOR;
-    }
-    // unknown frame so return generic
-    return MAV_TYPE_GENERIC;
-}
-
 /*
   allocate the motors class
  */