diff --git a/qgroundcontrol.pro b/qgroundcontrol.pro
index c968bfd9a09b2fae60fa7a24844b22370a74ddca..80d0414c31208cf1a904c9f7e66db576725549cb 100644
--- a/qgroundcontrol.pro
+++ b/qgroundcontrol.pro
@@ -773,7 +773,8 @@ unix:!macx:!symbian: LIBS += -losg
 
 OTHER_FILES += \
     dongfang_notes.txt \
-    src/ui/dongfang-scrapyard.txt
+    src/ui/dongfang-scrapyard.txt \
+    qml/components/DigitalDisplay.qml
 
 OTHER_FILES += \
     qml/ApmToolBar.qml \
diff --git a/qml/ApmToolBar.qml b/qml/ApmToolBar.qml
index fed71697aab8304505ba38a9820a2ec275d408c9..393e4c3bf980ee98759bbb970f9b67ddac5eec5d 100644
--- a/qml/ApmToolBar.qml
+++ b/qml/ApmToolBar.qml
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ Rectangle {
         }
     }
 
+// [BB] The code below should work, not sure why. replaced with code above
 //    Connections {
 //            target: globalObj
 //            onMAVConnected: {
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ Rectangle {
         anchors.left: parent.left
         spacing: 2
 
-        Rectangle {
+        Rectangle { // Spacer
             width: 5
             height: parent.height
             color: "black"
@@ -94,6 +95,44 @@ Rectangle {
             image: "./resources/apmplanner/toolbar/terminal.png"
             onClicked: globalObj.triggerTerminalView()
         }
+
+        Rectangle { // Spacer
+            width: 5
+            height: parent.height
+            color: "black"
+        }
+
+//            DigitalDisplay { // Information Pane
+//                title:"Mode"
+//                textValue: "Stabilize"
+//                color: "black"
+//            }
+//            DigitalDisplay { // Information Pane
+//                title: "Speed"
+//                textValue: "11.0m/s"
+//                color: "black"
+//            }
+//            DigitalDisplay { // Information Pane
+//                title: "Alt"
+//                textValue: "20.0m"
+//                color: "black"
+//            }
+//            DigitalDisplay { // Information Pane
+//                title: "Volts"
+//                textValue: "14.8V"
+//                color: "black"
+//            }
+//            DigitalDisplay { // Information Pane
+//                title: "Current"
+//                textValue: "12.0A"
+//                color: "black"
+//            }
+//            DigitalDisplay { // Information Pane
+//                title: "Level"
+//                textValue: "77%"
+//                color: "black"
+//            }
+
     }
 
     Row {
@@ -129,7 +168,7 @@ Rectangle {
             onClicked: globalObj.connectMAV()
         }
 
-        Rectangle {
+        Rectangle { // Spacer
             anchors.right: parent.right
             width: 5
             height: parent.height
diff --git a/qml/components/DigitalDisplay.qml b/qml/components/DigitalDisplay.qml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..be69b6712bdf2033e376100ae256e059ffd8756b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qml/components/DigitalDisplay.qml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import QtQuick 1.1
+
+Rectangle {
+
+    property alias title: displayTitle.text
+    property string textValue: "none"
+
+    width: 100
+    height: parent.height/3
+    anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
+    border.color: "white"
+
+    Text {
+        id:displayTitle
+        anchors.left: parent.left
+        anchors.leftMargin: 3
+        anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
+        text: "blank"
+        color: "white"
+    }
+
+    Text {
+        id:displayValue
+        anchors.right: parent.right
+        anchors.rightMargin: 3
+        anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
+        text: textValue
+        color: "white"
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/comm/SerialLink.cc b/src/comm/SerialLink.cc
index bd456d93b4d0928a538563295e0d2926e8588dc7..0091e434af9950d432f38f64cfa310c78548092a 100644
--- a/src/comm/SerialLink.cc
+++ b/src/comm/SerialLink.cc
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ QVector<QString>* SerialLink::getCurrentPorts()
     Q_ASSERT_X(m_ports != NULL, "getCurrentPorts", "m_ports is NULL");
     m_ports->clear();
     // Example use QSerialPortInfo
+    // [TODO] make this thread safe
     foreach (const QSerialPortInfo &info, QSerialPortInfo::availablePorts())
     {
 //        qDebug() << "PortName    : " << info.portName()
diff --git a/src/ui/apmtoolbar.cpp b/src/ui/apmtoolbar.cpp
index ff9a944199903e97585bf5c4b875d49797e3023e..f3253160bf768bf330080786d038a7e3a55ac753 100644
--- a/src/ui/apmtoolbar.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/apmtoolbar.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ APMToolBar::APMToolBar(QWidget *parent):
     }
 
     QObject *object = rootObject();
-    object->setProperty("connected", false);
+    if (object)
+        object->setProperty("connected", false);
 }
 
 void APMToolBar::setFlightViewAction(QAction *action)