diff --git a/src/rosjava_build_tools/create_android_project.py b/src/rosjava_build_tools/create_android_project.py
index de1f1a1aeb7f69d47137b13ad2c7720256b31a7f..60ad110363f21b92fc71b4dc13e1c6ede303c9bd 100644
--- a/src/rosjava_build_tools/create_android_project.py
+++ b/src/rosjava_build_tools/create_android_project.py
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ def parse_arguments():
                         help='The name for the package')
     parser.add_argument('-s', '--sdk-version',
                         action='store',
-                        default='17',
-                        help='Android sdk version [17]')
+                        default='18.1.1',
+                        help='Android sdk version [18.1.1]')
     parser.add_argument('-p', '--android-package-name',
                         action='store',
                         default='com.github.rosjava.android.pkg_name',
diff --git a/src/rosjava_build_tools/templates/android_package/build.gradle.in b/src/rosjava_build_tools/templates/android_package/build.gradle.in
index b111f43d64316482691b261d20cfc6b6bf31b2e4..da580e502015a305990fc929a6f38b9f82a74a4e 100644
--- a/src/rosjava_build_tools/templates/android_package/build.gradle.in
+++ b/src/rosjava_build_tools/templates/android_package/build.gradle.in
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  */
 
 task wrapper(type: Wrapper) {
-    gradleVersion = '1.7'
+    gradleVersion = '1.8'
 }
 
 buildscript {
diff --git a/src/rosjava_build_tools/templates/rosjava_package/build.gradle.in b/src/rosjava_build_tools/templates/rosjava_package/build.gradle.in
index d16e60d86a6dfaf3c0f6f7bc31cefd4025cd9372..d94ac2a59801d6aed6607194b93e5105373bf218 100644
--- a/src/rosjava_build_tools/templates/rosjava_package/build.gradle.in
+++ b/src/rosjava_build_tools/templates/rosjava_package/build.gradle.in
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  */
 
 task wrapper(type: Wrapper) {
-    gradleVersion = '1.7'
+    gradleVersion = '1.8'
 }
 
 buildscript {
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ apply plugin: 'catkin'
 
 
 allprojects {
-    /* 
+    /*
       A github url provides a good standard unique name for your project
       Example below, but you may wish to switch to your own unique url.
     */
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@ allprojects {
 }
 
 subprojects {
-    /* 
+    /*
       See https://github.com/rosjava/rosjava_bootstrap (look for gradle_plugins)
-      to see what is going on under the hood. 
+      to see what is going on under the hood.
     */
     apply plugin: 'ros-java'
 }