diff --git a/DroneServer/main.cpp b/DroneServer/main.cpp
index 7920ee3226..cf1760aa85 100644
--- a/DroneServer/main.cpp
+++ b/DroneServer/main.cpp
@@ -5,62 +5,68 @@
 #include <string>
 #include "rpc/RpcLibServer.hpp"
 #include "controllers/MavLinkDroneController.hpp"
+#include "controllers/Settings.hpp"
 
 using namespace std;
 using namespace msr::airlib;
 
-std::string server_address("127.0.0.1");
-
-bool parseCommandLine(int argc, const char* argv[])
-{
-    // parse command line
-    for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++)
-    {
-        const char* arg = argv[i];
-        if (arg[0] == '-' || arg[0] == '/')
-        {
-            std::string name = arg + 1;
-            if (name == "ipaddress" && i + 1 < argc)
-            {
-                server_address = argv[++i];
-            }
-            else {
-                return false;
-            }
-        }
-        else {
-            return false;
-        }
-    }
-    return true;
-}
-
 void printUsage() {
-    cout << "Usage: DroneServer [-ipaddress 127.0.0.1]" << endl;
-    cout << "The optional ipaddress argument specifies the RPC local IP address to use." << endl;
+    cout << "Usage: DroneServer" << endl;
+    cout << "Start the DroneServer using the 'Pixhawk' settings in ~/Documents/AirSim/settings.json." << endl;
 }
 
 int main(int argc, const char* argv[])
 {
-    if (!parseCommandLine(argc, argv)) {
-        printUsage();
-        return 1;
-    }
-
     MavLinkDroneController::ConnectionInfo connection_info;
-    connection_info.use_serial = false;
-    connection_info.ip_port = connection_info.qgc_ip_port;
+    connection_info.vehicle_name = "Pixhawk";
+    
+    // read settings and override defaults
+    Settings& settings = Settings::singleton();
+    Settings child;
+    auto settings_filename = Settings::singleton().getFileName();
+    if (!settings_filename.empty()) {
+        settings.getChild(connection_info.vehicle_name, child);
+
+        // allow json overrides on a per-vehicle basis.
+        connection_info.sim_sysid = static_cast<msr::airlib::uint8_t>(child.getInt("SimSysID", connection_info.sim_sysid));
+        connection_info.sim_compid = child.getInt("SimCompID", connection_info.sim_compid);
+
+        connection_info.vehicle_sysid = static_cast<msr::airlib::uint8_t>(child.getInt("VehicleSysID", connection_info.vehicle_sysid));
+        connection_info.vehicle_compid = child.getInt("VehicleCompID", connection_info.vehicle_compid);
+
+        connection_info.offboard_sysid = static_cast<msr::airlib::uint8_t>(child.getInt("OffboardSysID", connection_info.offboard_sysid));
+        connection_info.offboard_compid = child.getInt("OffboardCompID", connection_info.offboard_compid);
+
+        connection_info.logviewer_ip_address = child.getString("LogViewerHostIp", connection_info.logviewer_ip_address);
+        connection_info.logviewer_ip_port = child.getInt("LogViewerPort", connection_info.logviewer_ip_port);
+
+        connection_info.qgc_ip_address = child.getString("QgcHostIp", connection_info.qgc_ip_address);
+        connection_info.qgc_ip_port = child.getInt("QgcPort", connection_info.qgc_ip_port);
+
+        connection_info.sitl_ip_address = child.getString("SitlIp", connection_info.sitl_ip_address);
+        connection_info.sitl_ip_port = child.getInt("SitlPort", connection_info.sitl_ip_port);
+
+        connection_info.local_host_ip = child.getString("LocalHostIp", connection_info.local_host_ip);
+
+        connection_info.use_serial = child.getBool("UseSerial", connection_info.use_serial);
+        connection_info.ip_address = child.getString("UdpIp", connection_info.ip_address);
+        connection_info.ip_port = child.getInt("UdpPort", connection_info.ip_port);
+        connection_info.serial_port = child.getString("SerialPort", connection_info.serial_port);
+        connection_info.baud_rate = child.getInt("SerialBaudRate", connection_info.baud_rate);
+    }
 
     MavLinkDroneController mav_drone;
     mav_drone.initialize(connection_info, nullptr, true);   //TODO: need to review how is_simulation flag might affect here
+    mav_drone.start();
+
     DroneControllerCancelable server_wrapper(&mav_drone);
-    msr::airlib::RpcLibServer server(&server_wrapper, server_address);
+    msr::airlib::RpcLibServer server(&server_wrapper, connection_info.local_host_ip);
     
     auto v = std::vector<msr::airlib::uint8_t>{ 5, 4, 3 };
     server_wrapper.setImageForCamera(3, DroneControllerBase::ImageType::Depth, v);
     server_wrapper.setImageForCamera(4, DroneControllerBase::ImageType::Scene, std::vector<msr::airlib::uint8_t>{6, 5, 4, 3, 2});
     
-    std::cout << "Server connected to MavLink endpoint at " << server_address << ":" << connection_info.ip_port << std::endl;
+    std::cout << "Server connected to MavLink endpoint at " << connection_info.local_host_ip << ":" << connection_info.ip_port << std::endl;
     server.start(true);
     return 0;
 }