diff --git a/src/modules/commander/PreflightCheck.cpp b/src/modules/commander/PreflightCheck.cpp
index a11432c994..ff52a4e662 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/PreflightCheck.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/PreflightCheck.cpp
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ static bool gnssCheck(orb_advert_t *mavlink_log_pub, bool report_fail)
 }
 
 bool preflightCheck(orb_advert_t *mavlink_log_pub, bool checkMag, bool checkAcc, bool checkGyro,
-		    bool checkBaro, bool checkAirspeed, bool checkRC, bool checkGNSS, bool checkDynamic, bool reportFailures)
+		    bool checkBaro, bool checkAirspeed, bool checkRC, bool checkGNSS, bool checkDynamic, bool isVTOL, bool reportFailures)
 {
 
 #ifdef __PX4_QURT
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ bool preflightCheck(orb_advert_t *mavlink_log_pub, bool checkMag, bool checkAcc,
 
 	/* ---- RC CALIBRATION ---- */
 	if (checkRC) {
-		if (rc_calibration_check(mavlink_log_pub, reportFailures) != OK) {
+		if (rc_calibration_check(mavlink_log_pub, reportFailures, isVTOL) != OK) {
 			if (reportFailures) {
 				mavlink_and_console_log_critical(mavlink_log_pub, "RC calibration check failed");
 			}
diff --git a/src/modules/commander/PreflightCheck.h b/src/modules/commander/PreflightCheck.h
index 2d24c0359a..2c59923dbf 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/PreflightCheck.h
+++ b/src/modules/commander/PreflightCheck.h
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ namespace Commander
 *   true if the GNSS receiver should be checked
 **/
 bool preflightCheck(orb_advert_t *mavlink_log_pub, bool checkMag, bool checkAcc,
-    bool checkGyro, bool checkBaro, bool checkAirspeed, bool checkRC, bool checkGNSS, bool checkDynamic, bool reportFailures = false);
+    bool checkGyro, bool checkBaro, bool checkAirspeed, bool checkRC, bool checkGNSS, bool checkDynamic, bool isVTOL, bool reportFailures = false);
 
 const unsigned max_mandatory_gyro_count = 1;
 const unsigned max_optional_gyro_count = 3;
diff --git a/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp b/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
index 57dbcc6060..2c2ec7026b 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
@@ -1572,7 +1572,7 @@ int commander_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			// sensor diagnostics done continuously, not just at boot so don't warn about any issues just yet
 			status_flags.condition_system_sensors_initialized = Commander::preflightCheck(&mavlink_log_pub, true, true, true, true,
 				checkAirspeed, (status.rc_input_mode == vehicle_status_s::RC_IN_MODE_DEFAULT),
-				!can_arm_without_gps, /*checkDynamic */ false, /* reportFailures */ false);
+				!can_arm_without_gps, /*checkDynamic */ false, is_vtol(&status), /* reportFailures */ false);
 			set_tune_override(TONE_STARTUP_TUNE); //normal boot tune
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp b/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp
index 75114ccfd3..db6536cbcc 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp
@@ -1100,7 +1100,7 @@ int preflight_check(struct vehicle_status_s *status, orb_advert_t *mavlink_log_p
 
 	bool preflight_ok = Commander::preflightCheck(mavlink_log_pub, true, true, true, true,
 			    checkAirspeed, (status->rc_input_mode == vehicle_status_s::RC_IN_MODE_DEFAULT),
-			    !can_arm_without_gps, true, reportFailures);
+			    !can_arm_without_gps, true, status->is_vtol, reportFailures);
 
 	if (!status_flags->circuit_breaker_engaged_usb_check && status_flags->usb_connected && prearm) {
 		preflight_ok = false;
diff --git a/src/modules/systemlib/rc_check.c b/src/modules/systemlib/rc_check.c
index 74de8f3ef4..92e1a920b1 100644
--- a/src/modules/systemlib/rc_check.c
+++ b/src/modules/systemlib/rc_check.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 
 #define RC_INPUT_MAP_UNMAPPED 0
 
-int rc_calibration_check(orb_advert_t *mavlink_log_pub, bool report_fail)
+int rc_calibration_check(orb_advert_t *mavlink_log_pub, bool report_fail, bool isVTOL)
 {
 
 	char nbuf[20];
@@ -68,6 +68,32 @@ int rc_calibration_check(orb_advert_t *mavlink_log_pub, bool report_fail)
 
 	unsigned j = 0;
 
+	/* if VTOL, check transition switch mapping */
+	if (isVTOL) {
+		param_t trans_parm = param_find("RC_MAP_TRANS_SW");
+
+		if (trans_parm == PARAM_INVALID) {
+			if (report_fail) { mavlink_and_console_log_critical(mavlink_log_pub, "ERR: RC_MAP_TRANS_SW PARAMETER MISSING"); }
+
+			/* give system time to flush error message in case there are more */
+			usleep(100000);
+			map_fail_count++;
+
+		} else {
+			int32_t transition_switch;
+			param_get(trans_parm, &transition_switch);
+
+			if (transition_switch < 1) {
+				if (report_fail) { mavlink_and_console_log_critical(mavlink_log_pub, "ERR: transition switch (RC_MAP_TRANS_SW) not set"); }
+
+				map_fail_count++;
+			}
+
+		}
+
+	}
+
+
 	/* first check channel mappings */
 	while (rc_map_mandatory[j] != 0) {
 
diff --git a/src/modules/systemlib/rc_check.h b/src/modules/systemlib/rc_check.h
index 11c3f70b20..3893baa8d0 100644
--- a/src/modules/systemlib/rc_check.h
+++ b/src/modules/systemlib/rc_check.h
@@ -49,6 +49,6 @@ __BEGIN_DECLS
  * @return			0 / OK if RC calibration is ok, index + 1 of the first
  *				channel that failed else (so 1 == first channel failed)
  */
-__EXPORT int	rc_calibration_check(orb_advert_t *mavlink_log_pub, bool report_fail);
+__EXPORT int	rc_calibration_check(orb_advert_t *mavlink_log_pub, bool report_fail, bool isVTOL);
 
 __END_DECLS