diff --git a/ArduCopter/mode.h b/ArduCopter/mode.h
index 04777e1cfd6f5d..b9ad4c752263f0 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/mode.h
+++ b/ArduCopter/mode.h
@@ -170,12 +170,6 @@ class Mode {
     // altitude fence
     float get_avoidance_adjusted_climbrate(float target_rate);
 
-    const Vector3f& get_vel_desired_cms() {
-        // note that position control isn't used in every mode, so
-        // this may return bogus data:
-        return pos_control->get_vel_desired_cms();
-    }
-
     // send output to the motors, can be overridden by subclasses
     virtual void output_to_motors();