diff --git a/src/modules/commander/Commander.cpp b/src/modules/commander/Commander.cpp
index beecdc7bbd..52ce69e1d1 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/Commander.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/Commander.cpp
@@ -822,7 +822,7 @@ Commander::handle_command(const vehicle_command_s &cmd)
 				const bool forced = (static_cast<int>(roundf(cmd.param2)) == 21196);
 
 				if (!forced) {
-					if (!(_land_detector.landed || _land_detector.maybe_landed) && !is_ground_rover(&_status)) {
+					if (!(_land_detector.landed || _land_detector.maybe_landed) && !is_ground_rover(_status)) {
 						if (cmd_arms) {
 							if (_armed.armed) {
 								mavlink_log_warning(&_mavlink_log_pub, "Arming denied! Already armed");
@@ -1603,21 +1603,21 @@ Commander::run()
 	/* update vehicle status to find out vehicle type (required for preflight checks) */
 	_status.system_type = _param_mav_type.get();
 
-	if (is_rotary_wing(&_status) || is_vtol(&_status)) {
+	if (is_rotary_wing(_status) || is_vtol(_status)) {
 		_status.vehicle_type = vehicle_status_s::VEHICLE_TYPE_ROTARY_WING;
 
-	} else if (is_fixed_wing(&_status)) {
+	} else if (is_fixed_wing(_status)) {
 		_status.vehicle_type = vehicle_status_s::VEHICLE_TYPE_FIXED_WING;
 
-	} else if (is_ground_rover(&_status)) {
+	} else if (is_ground_rover(_status)) {
 		_status.vehicle_type = vehicle_status_s::VEHICLE_TYPE_ROVER;
 
 	} else {
 		_status.vehicle_type = vehicle_status_s::VEHICLE_TYPE_UNKNOWN;
 	}
 
-	_status.is_vtol = is_vtol(&_status);
-	_status.is_vtol_tailsitter = is_vtol_tailsitter(&_status);
+	_status.is_vtol = is_vtol(_status);
+	_status.is_vtol_tailsitter = is_vtol_tailsitter(_status);
 
 	_boot_timestamp = hrt_absolute_time();
 
@@ -1668,9 +1668,9 @@ Commander::run()
 			if (!_armed.armed) {
 				_status.system_type = _param_mav_type.get();
 
-				const bool is_rotary = is_rotary_wing(&_status) || (is_vtol(&_status) && _vtol_status.vtol_in_rw_mode);
-				const bool is_fixed = is_fixed_wing(&_status) || (is_vtol(&_status) && !_vtol_status.vtol_in_rw_mode);
-				const bool is_ground = is_ground_rover(&_status);
+				const bool is_rotary = is_rotary_wing(_status) || (is_vtol(_status) && _vtol_status.vtol_in_rw_mode);
+				const bool is_fixed = is_fixed_wing(_status) || (is_vtol(_status) && !_vtol_status.vtol_in_rw_mode);
+				const bool is_ground = is_ground_rover(_status);
 
 				/* disable manual override for all systems that rely on electronic stabilization */
 				if (is_rotary) {
@@ -1684,8 +1684,8 @@ Commander::run()
 				}
 
 				/* set vehicle_status.is_vtol flag */
-				_status.is_vtol = is_vtol(&_status);
-				_status.is_vtol_tailsitter = is_vtol_tailsitter(&_status);
+				_status.is_vtol = is_vtol(_status);
+				_status.is_vtol_tailsitter = is_vtol_tailsitter(_status);
 
 				/* check and update system / component ID */
 				_status.system_id = _param_mav_sys_id.get();
@@ -1890,7 +1890,7 @@ Commander::run()
 			_status.vtol_fw_permanent_stab = _vtol_status.fw_permanent_stab;
 
 			/* Make sure that this is only adjusted if vehicle really is of type vtol */
-			if (is_vtol(&_status)) {
+			if (is_vtol(_status)) {
 
 				// Check if there has been any change while updating the flags
 				const auto new_vehicle_type = _vtol_status.vtol_in_rw_mode ?
diff --git a/src/modules/commander/commander_helper.cpp b/src/modules/commander/commander_helper.cpp
index 25f12befce..a16e4e23f6 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/commander_helper.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/commander_helper.cpp
@@ -82,45 +82,45 @@
 
 #define BLINK_MSG_TIME	700000	// 3 fast blinks (in us)
 
-bool is_multirotor(const struct vehicle_status_s *current_status)
+bool is_multirotor(const vehicle_status_s &current_status)
 {
-	return ((current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_QUADROTOR) ||
-		(current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_HEXAROTOR) ||
-		(current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_OCTOROTOR) ||
-		(current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_TRICOPTER));
+	return ((current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_QUADROTOR) ||
+		(current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_HEXAROTOR) ||
+		(current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_OCTOROTOR) ||
+		(current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_TRICOPTER));
 }
 
-bool is_rotary_wing(const struct vehicle_status_s *current_status)
+bool is_rotary_wing(const vehicle_status_s &current_status)
 {
-	return is_multirotor(current_status) || (current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_HELICOPTER)
-	       || (current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_COAXIAL);
+	return is_multirotor(current_status) || (current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_HELICOPTER)
+	       || (current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_COAXIAL);
 }
 
-bool is_vtol(const struct vehicle_status_s *current_status)
+bool is_vtol(const vehicle_status_s &current_status)
 {
-	return (current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_DUOROTOR ||
-		current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_QUADROTOR ||
-		current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_TILTROTOR ||
-		current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_RESERVED2 ||
-		current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_RESERVED3 ||
-		current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_RESERVED4 ||
-		current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_RESERVED5);
+	return (current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_DUOROTOR ||
+		current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_QUADROTOR ||
+		current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_TILTROTOR ||
+		current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_RESERVED2 ||
+		current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_RESERVED3 ||
+		current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_RESERVED4 ||
+		current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_RESERVED5);
 }
 
-bool is_vtol_tailsitter(const struct vehicle_status_s *current_status)
+bool is_vtol_tailsitter(const vehicle_status_s &current_status)
 {
-	return (current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_DUOROTOR ||
-		current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_QUADROTOR);
+	return (current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_DUOROTOR ||
+		current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_VTOL_QUADROTOR);
 }
 
-bool is_fixed_wing(const struct vehicle_status_s *current_status)
+bool is_fixed_wing(const vehicle_status_s &current_status)
 {
-	return current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_FIXED_WING;
+	return current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_FIXED_WING;
 }
 
-bool is_ground_rover(const struct vehicle_status_s *current_status)
+bool is_ground_rover(const vehicle_status_s &current_status)
 {
-	return current_status->system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_GROUND_ROVER;
+	return current_status.system_type == VEHICLE_TYPE_GROUND_ROVER;
 }
 
 static hrt_abstime blink_msg_end = 0; // end time for currently blinking LED message, 0 if no blink message
diff --git a/src/modules/commander/commander_helper.h b/src/modules/commander/commander_helper.h
index 44f3cb396d..73524d9464 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/commander_helper.h
+++ b/src/modules/commander/commander_helper.h
@@ -50,12 +50,12 @@
 #include <drivers/drv_board_led.h>
 
 
-bool is_multirotor(const struct vehicle_status_s *current_status);
-bool is_rotary_wing(const struct vehicle_status_s *current_status);
-bool is_vtol(const struct vehicle_status_s *current_status);
-bool is_vtol_tailsitter(const struct vehicle_status_s *current_status);
-bool is_fixed_wing(const struct vehicle_status_s *current_status);
-bool is_ground_rover(const struct vehicle_status_s *current_status);
+bool is_multirotor(const vehicle_status_s &current_status);
+bool is_rotary_wing(const vehicle_status_s &current_status);
+bool is_vtol(const vehicle_status_s &current_status);
+bool is_vtol_tailsitter(const vehicle_status_s &current_status);
+bool is_fixed_wing(const vehicle_status_s &current_status);
+bool is_ground_rover(const vehicle_status_s &current_status);
 
 int buzzer_init(void);
 void buzzer_deinit(void);