diff --git a/flight/modules/AltitudeHold/altitudehold.c b/flight/modules/AltitudeHold/altitudehold.c
index b92e00f88..3f2fe7909 100644
--- a/flight/modules/AltitudeHold/altitudehold.c
+++ b/flight/modules/AltitudeHold/altitudehold.c
@@ -139,11 +139,15 @@ static void altitudeHoldTask(__attribute__((unused)) void *parameters)
     BaroAltitudeConnectQueue(queue);
     FlightStatusConnectQueue(queue);
     AccelsConnectQueue(queue);
-
+    bool altitudeHoldFlightMode = false;
     BaroAltitudeAltitudeGet(&smoothed_altitude);
     running = false;
     enum init_state { WAITING_BARO, WAITIING_INIT, INITED } init = WAITING_BARO;
 
+    uint8_t flightMode;
+    FlightStatusFlightModeGet(&flightMode);
+    // initialize enable flag
+    altitudeHoldFlightMode = flightMode == FLIGHTSTATUS_FLIGHTMODE_ALTITUDEHOLD || flightMode == FLIGHTSTATUS_FLIGHTMODE_ALTITUDEVARIO;
     // Main task loop
     bool baro_updated = false;
     while (1) {
@@ -161,10 +165,9 @@ static void altitudeHoldTask(__attribute__((unused)) void *parameters)
 
             init = (init == WAITING_BARO) ? WAITIING_INIT : init;
         } else if (ev.obj == FlightStatusHandle()) {
-            FlightStatusData flightStatus;
-            FlightStatusGet(&flightStatus);
-
-            if (flightStatus.FlightMode == FLIGHTSTATUS_FLIGHTMODE_ALTITUDEHOLD && !running) {
+            FlightStatusFlightModeGet(&flightMode);
+            altitudeHoldFlightMode = flightMode == FLIGHTSTATUS_FLIGHTMODE_ALTITUDEHOLD || flightMode == FLIGHTSTATUS_FLIGHTMODE_ALTITUDEVARIO;
+            if (altitudeHoldFlightMode && !running) {
                 // Copy the current throttle as a starting point for integral
                 StabilizationDesiredThrottleGet(&throttleIntegral);
                 switchThrottle = throttleIntegral;
@@ -175,7 +178,7 @@ static void altitudeHoldTask(__attribute__((unused)) void *parameters)
                 AltHoldSmoothedData altHold;
                 AltHoldSmoothedGet(&altHold);
                 starting_altitude = altHold.Altitude;
-            } else if (flightStatus.FlightMode != FLIGHTSTATUS_FLIGHTMODE_ALTITUDEHOLD) {
+            } else if (!altitudeHoldFlightMode) {
                 running = false;
                 lastAltitudeHoldDesiredUpdate = PIOS_DELAY_GetRaw();
             }
@@ -348,11 +351,10 @@ static void altitudeHoldTask(__attribute__((unused)) void *parameters)
 
             AltHoldSmoothedGet(&altHold);
 
-            // Verify that we are  in altitude hold mode
-            FlightStatusData flightStatus;
-            FlightStatusGet(&flightStatus);
-            if (flightStatus.FlightMode != FLIGHTSTATUS_FLIGHTMODE_ALTITUDEHOLD ||
-                flightStatus.Armed != FLIGHTSTATUS_ARMED_ARMED) {
+            // Verify that we are in altitude hold mode
+            uint8_t armed;
+            FlightStatusArmedGet(&armed);
+            if (!altitudeHoldFlightMode || armed != FLIGHTSTATUS_ARMED_ARMED) {
                 running = false;
             }
 
diff --git a/flight/modules/ManualControl/manualcontrol.c b/flight/modules/ManualControl/manualcontrol.c
index a11e3eab8..9dc1c5850 100644
--- a/flight/modules/ManualControl/manualcontrol.c
+++ b/flight/modules/ManualControl/manualcontrol.c
@@ -460,6 +460,7 @@ static void manualControlTask(__attribute__((unused)) void *parameters)
         case FLIGHTMODE_GUIDANCE:
             switch (flightStatus.FlightMode) {
             case FLIGHTSTATUS_FLIGHTMODE_ALTITUDEHOLD:
+            case FLIGHTSTATUS_FLIGHTMODE_ALTITUDEVARIO:
                 altitudeHoldDesired(&cmd, lastFlightMode != flightStatus.FlightMode);
                 break;
             case FLIGHTSTATUS_FLIGHTMODE_POSITIONHOLD:
@@ -820,17 +821,24 @@ static void altitudeHoldDesired(ManualControlCommandData *cmd, bool changed)
     uint8_t throttleRate;
     uint8_t throttleExp;
 
+    static uint8_t flightMode;
     static portTickType lastSysTimeAH;
     static bool zeroed = false;
     portTickType thisSysTime;
     float dT;
 
-    AltitudeHoldDesiredData altitudeHoldDesiredData;
+    FlightStatusFlightModeGet(&flightMode);
 
+    AltitudeHoldDesiredData altitudeHoldDesiredData;
     AltitudeHoldDesiredGet(&altitudeHoldDesiredData);
 
-    AltitudeHoldSettingsThrottleExpGet(&throttleExp);
-    AltitudeHoldSettingsThrottleRateGet(&throttleRate);
+    if (flightMode == FLIGHTSTATUS_FLIGHTMODE_ALTITUDEHOLD) {
+        throttleExp  = 128;
+        throttleRate = 0;
+    } else {
+        AltitudeHoldSettingsThrottleExpGet(&throttleExp);
+        AltitudeHoldSettingsThrottleRateGet(&throttleRate);
+    }
 
     StabilizationSettingsData stabSettings;
     StabilizationSettingsGet(&stabSettings);
@@ -851,12 +859,13 @@ static void altitudeHoldDesired(ManualControlCommandData *cmd, bool changed)
         zeroed = false;
     } else if (cmd->Throttle > DEADBAND_HIGH && zeroed) {
         // being the two band symmetrical I can divide by DEADBAND_LOW to scale it to a value betweeon 0 and 1
-        // then apply an "exp" f(x,k) = (k∙x∙x∙x + x∙(256−k)) / 256
+        // then apply an "exp" f(x,k) = (k*x*x*x + x*(256−k)) / 256
         altitudeHoldDesiredData.Altitude += (throttleExp * powf((cmd->Throttle - DEADBAND_HIGH) / (DEADBAND_LOW), 3) + (256 - throttleExp)) / 256 * throttleRate * dT;
     } else if (cmd->Throttle < DEADBAND_LOW && zeroed) {
         altitudeHoldDesiredData.Altitude -= (throttleExp * powf((DEADBAND_LOW - (cmd->Throttle < 0 ? 0 : cmd->Throttle)) / DEADBAND_LOW, 3) + (256 - throttleExp)) / 256 * throttleRate * dT;
-    } else if (cmd->Throttle >= DEADBAND_LOW && cmd->Throttle <= DEADBAND_HIGH) {
+    } else if (cmd->Throttle >= DEADBAND_LOW && cmd->Throttle <= DEADBAND_HIGH && (throttleRate != 0)) {
         // Require the stick to enter the dead band before they can move height
+        // Vario is not "engaged" when throttleRate == 0
         zeroed = true;
     }
 
diff --git a/shared/uavobjectdefinition/flightstatus.xml b/shared/uavobjectdefinition/flightstatus.xml
index 765e15d66..24befac63 100644
--- a/shared/uavobjectdefinition/flightstatus.xml
+++ b/shared/uavobjectdefinition/flightstatus.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
         <field name="Armed" units="" type="enum" elements="1" options="Disarmed,Arming,Armed" defaultvalue="Disarmed"/>
 
 	<!-- Note these enumerated values should be the same as ManualControlSettings -->
-        <field name="FlightMode" units="" type="enum" elements="1" options="Manual,Stabilized1,Stabilized2,Stabilized3,Autotune,AltitudeHold,VelocityControl,PositionHold,ReturnToBase,Land,PathPlanner,POI"/>
+        <field name="FlightMode" units="" type="enum" elements="1" options="Manual,Stabilized1,Stabilized2,Stabilized3,Autotune,AltitudeHold,AltitudeVario,VelocityControl,PositionHold,ReturnToBase,Land,PathPlanner,POI"/>
 
         <access gcs="readwrite" flight="readwrite"/>
         <telemetrygcs acked="false" updatemode="manual" period="0"/>
diff --git a/shared/uavobjectdefinition/manualcontrolsettings.xml b/shared/uavobjectdefinition/manualcontrolsettings.xml
index 0c627d92e..99c89e5bb 100644
--- a/shared/uavobjectdefinition/manualcontrolsettings.xml
+++ b/shared/uavobjectdefinition/manualcontrolsettings.xml
@@ -43,31 +43,31 @@
                units=""
                type="enum"
                elements="6"
-               options="Manual,Stabilized1,Stabilized2,Stabilized3,Autotune,AltitudeHold,VelocityControl,PositionHold,ReturnToBase,Land,PathPlanner,POI"
+               options="Manual,Stabilized1,Stabilized2,Stabilized3,Autotune,AltitudeHold,AltitudeVario,VelocityControl,PositionHold,ReturnToBase,Land,PathPlanner,POI"
                defaultvalue="Stabilized1,Stabilized2,Stabilized3,AltitudeHold,PositionHold,Manual"
                limits="\
-                       %0401NE:Autotune:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
-                       %0402NE:Autotune:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
+                       %0401NE:Autotune:AltitudeVario:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
+                       %0402NE:Autotune:AltitudeVario:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
                        %0903NE:Autotune:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI;\
                        \
-                       %0401NE:Autotune:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
-                       %0402NE:Autotune:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
+                       %0401NE:Autotune:AltitudeVario:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
+                       %0402NE:Autotune:AltitudeVario:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
                        %0903NE:Autotune:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI;\
                        \
-                       %0401NE:Autotune:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
-                       %0402NE:Autotune:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
+                       %0401NE:Autotune:AltitudeVario:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
+                       %0402NE:Autotune:AltitudeVario:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
                        %0903NE:Autotune:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI;\
                        \
-                       %0401NE:Autotune:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
-                       %0402NE:Autotune:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
+                       %0401NE:Autotune:AltitudeVario:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
+                       %0402NE:Autotune:AltitudeVario:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
                        %0903NE:Autotune:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI;\
                        \
-                       %0401NE:Autotune:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
-                       %0402NE:Autotune:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
+                       %0401NE:Autotune:AltitudeVario:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
+                       %0402NE:Autotune:AltitudeVario:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
                        %0903NE:Autotune:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI;\
                        \
-                       %0401NE:Autotune:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
-                       %0402NE:Autotune:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
+                       %0401NE:Autotune:AltitudeVario:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
+                       %0402NE:Autotune:AltitudeVario:AltitudeHold:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI,\
                        %0903NE:Autotune:VelocityControl:PositionHold:ReturnToBase:Land:PathPlanner:POI"/>
 
         <field name="ArmedTimeout" units="ms" type="uint16" elements="1" defaultvalue="30000"/>