diff --git a/src/lib/version/version.c b/src/lib/version/version.c
index a56fa50281..ccb284c819 100644
--- a/src/lib/version/version.c
+++ b/src/lib/version/version.c
@@ -58,149 +58,146 @@ enum FIRMWARE_TYPE {
 	FIRMWARE_TYPE_RELEASE = 255
 };
 
-typedef enum {
-	PATCH = 0,
-	MINOR = 8,
-	MAJOR = 16
-} version_type_t;
-
-/**
- * Convert a version number from string to int
- * @param version tag
- * @param start index of the fist char
- * @param end index of the last char
- * @return version number as int
- */
-static uint32_t string_to_int(const char *tag, int start, int end)
+uint32_t version_tag_to_number(const char *tag)
 {
-	const char *curr = &tag[start];
-	uint32_t temp_ver = 0;
+	uint32_t version_number = 0;
 
-	while (curr <= &tag[end]) {
-		temp_ver = (temp_ver * 10)  + (*curr - '0');
+	int16_t buffer = -1;
+	size_t buffer_counter = 0;
+	size_t dash_count = 0;
+	size_t point_count = 0;
+	char version[3] = {0, 0, 0};
+	int firmware_type = FIRMWARE_TYPE_RELEASE;
 
-		curr++;
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < strlen(tag); i++) {
+		if (tag[i] == '-') {
+			dash_count++;
+
+		} else if (tag[i] == '.') {
+			point_count++;
+		}
+
+		if (tag[i] == 'r' && i < strlen(tag) - 1 && tag[i + 1] == 'c') {
+			firmware_type = FIRMWARE_TYPE_RC;
+
+		} else if (tag[i] == 'p') {
+			firmware_type = FIRMWARE_TYPE_ALPHA;
+
+		} else if (tag[i] == 't') {
+			firmware_type = FIRMWARE_TYPE_BETA;
+
+		} else if (tag[i] == 'v' && i > 0) {
+			firmware_type = FIRMWARE_TYPE_DEV;
+		}
 	}
 
-	return temp_ver;
-}
+	if ((dash_count == 1 && point_count == 2 && firmware_type == FIRMWARE_TYPE_RELEASE) ||
+	    (dash_count == 2 && point_count == 2) ||
+	    (dash_count == 3 && point_count == 4)) {
+		firmware_type = FIRMWARE_TYPE_DEV;
+	}
 
-/**
- * Convert a version tag string to a number
- * @param tag version tag in one of the following forms:
- *            - dev: v1.4.0rc3-7-g7e282f57
- *            - dev: v1.4.0rc3-7-g7e282f57-dirty
- *            - dev: v1.4.0-dirty
- *            - rc: v1.4.0rc4
- *            - release: v1.4.0
- *            - linux: 7.9.3
- * @return version in the form 0xAABBCCTT (AA: Major, BB: Minor, CC: Patch, TT Type @see FIRMWARE_TYPE)
- */
-static uint32_t version_tag_to_number(const char *tag)
-{
-	uint32_t ver = 0;
-	unsigned len = strlen(tag);
-	int end = 0;
-	int32_t type = -1;
-	unsigned dashcount = 0;
-	version_type_t v_type = PATCH;
-
-	for (int i = len - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
-
-		if (tag[i] == '-') {
-			dashcount++;
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < strlen(tag); i++) {
+		if (buffer_counter > 2) {
+			continue;
 		}
 
 		if (tag[i] >= '0' && tag[i] <= '9') {
-			if (!end) {
-				end = i;
+			buffer = (buffer == -1) ? 0 : buffer;
+			buffer = buffer * 10 + (tag[i] - '0');
+
+		} else {
+			if (buffer >= 0) {
+				version[buffer_counter] = buffer;
+				buffer_counter++;
 			}
 
-			if (i == 0) {
-				uint32_t temp_ver = string_to_int(tag, i, end);
-				ver = (temp_ver << v_type) + ver;
-			}
-
-		} else if ((tag[i] == '.') || (i == 0)) {
-			uint32_t temp_ver = string_to_int(tag, (i + 1), end);
-			ver = (temp_ver << v_type) + ver;
-
-			end = 0;
-
-			switch (v_type) {
-			case PATCH:
-				v_type = MINOR;
-				break;
-
-			case MINOR:
-				v_type = MAJOR;
-				break;
-
-			case MAJOR:
-			default:
-				break;
-			}
-
-		} else if (i > 3 && type == -1) {
-			/* scan and look for signature characters for each type */
-			const char *curr = &tag[i - 1];
-
-			while (curr > &tag[0]) {
-				if (*curr == 'v') {
-					type = FIRMWARE_TYPE_DEV;
-					break;
-
-				} else if (*curr == 'p') {
-					type = FIRMWARE_TYPE_ALPHA;
-					break;
-
-				} else if (*curr == 't') {
-					type = FIRMWARE_TYPE_BETA;
-					break;
-
-				} else if (*curr == 'r') {
-					type = FIRMWARE_TYPE_RC;
-					break;
-				}
-
-				curr--;
-			}
-
-			/* looks like a release */
-			if (type == -1) {
-				type = FIRMWARE_TYPE_RELEASE;
-			}
-
-		} else if (tag[i] != 'v') {
-			/* reset, because we don't have a full tag but
-			 * are seeing non-numeric characters (eg. '-')
-			 */
-			ver = 0;
-			end = 0;
+			buffer = -1;
 		}
 	}
 
-	/* if git describe contains dashes this is not a real tag */
-	if (dashcount > 0) {
-		type = FIRMWARE_TYPE_DEV;
+	if (buffer >= 0) {
+		version[buffer_counter] = buffer;
+		buffer_counter++;
 	}
 
-	/* looks like a release */
-	if (type == -1) {
-		type = FIRMWARE_TYPE_RELEASE;
-	}
+	version_number = ((uint8_t)version[0] << 8 * 3) |
+			 ((uint8_t)version[1] << 8 * 2) |
+			 ((uint8_t)version[2] << 8 * 1) | firmware_type;
 
-	ver = (ver << 8);
-
-	return ver | type;
+	return version_number;
 }
 
-
 uint32_t px4_firmware_version(void)
 {
 	return version_tag_to_number(PX4_GIT_TAG_STR);
 }
 
+uint32_t version_tag_to_vendor_version_number(const char *tag)
+{
+	uint32_t version_number = 0;
+
+	int16_t buffer = -1;
+	size_t buffer_counter = 0;
+	char version[6] = {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0};
+
+	size_t dash_count = 0;
+	size_t point_count = 0;
+
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < strlen(tag); i++) {
+		if (tag[i] == '-') {
+			dash_count++;
+
+		} else if (tag[i] == '.') {
+			point_count++;
+		}
+	}
+
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < strlen(tag); i++) {
+		if (buffer_counter > 5) {
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		if (tag[i] >= '0' && tag[i] <= '9') {
+			buffer = (buffer == -1) ? 0 : buffer;
+			buffer = buffer * 10 + (tag[i] - '0');
+
+		} else {
+			if (buffer >= 0) {
+				if (buffer_counter + 1 == 4 && tag[i] == '-') {
+					break;
+				}
+
+				version[buffer_counter] = buffer;
+				buffer_counter++;
+			}
+
+			buffer = -1;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (buffer >= 0 && (buffer_counter + 1 == 3 || buffer_counter + 1 == 6)) {
+		version[buffer_counter] = buffer;
+		buffer_counter++;
+	}
+
+	if (buffer_counter == 6) {
+		version_number = ((uint8_t)version[3] << 8 * 2) |
+				 ((uint8_t)version[4] << 8 * 1) |
+				 ((uint8_t)version[5] << 8 * 0);
+
+	} else {
+		version_number = 0;
+	}
+
+	return version_number;
+}
+
+uint32_t px4_firmware_vendor_version(void)
+{
+	return version_tag_to_vendor_version_number(PX4_GIT_TAG_STR);
+}
+
 const char *px4_firmware_git_branch(void)
 {
 	return PX4_GIT_BRANCH_NAME;
diff --git a/src/lib/version/version.h b/src/lib/version/version.h
index 9cc91e93e8..eeb3f8586a 100644
--- a/src/lib/version/version.h
+++ b/src/lib/version/version.h
@@ -98,12 +98,41 @@ static inline const char *px4_build_uri(void)
 	return STRINGIFY(BUILD_URI);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Convert a version tag string to a number
+ * @param tag version tag in one of the following forms:
+ *            - dev: v1.4.0rc3-7-g7e282f57
+ *            - rc: v1.4.0rc4
+ *            - release: v1.4.0
+ *            - linux: 7.9.3
+ * @return version in the form 0xAABBCCTT (AA: Major, BB: Minor, CC: Patch, TT Type @see FIRMWARE_TYPE)
+ */
+__EXPORT uint32_t version_tag_to_number(const char *tag);
+
 /**
  * get the PX4 Firmware version
  * @return version in the form 0xAABBCCTT (AA: Major, BB: Minor, CC: Patch, TT Type @see FIRMWARE_TYPE)
  */
 __EXPORT uint32_t px4_firmware_version(void);
 
+/**
+ * Convert a version tag string to a vendor version number
+ * @param tag version tag in one of the following forms:
+ *            - vendor: v1.4.0-0.2.0
+ *            - dev: v1.4.0rc3-7-g7e282f57
+ *            - rc: v1.4.0rc4
+ *            - release: v1.4.0
+ *            - linux: 7.9.3
+ * @return version in the form 0xAABBCC (AA: Major, BB: Minor, CC: Patch)
+ */
+__EXPORT uint32_t version_tag_to_vendor_version_number(const char *tag);
+
+/**
+ * get the PX4 Firmware vendor version
+ * @return version in the form 0xAABBCC (AA: Major, BB: Minor, CC: Patch)
+ */
+__EXPORT uint32_t px4_firmware_vendor_version(void);
+
 /**
  * get the board version (last 8 bytes should be silicon ID, if any)
  */