diff --git a/libraries/APM_Control/AR_AttitudeControl.cpp b/libraries/APM_Control/AR_AttitudeControl.cpp
index 908daf3e1f..29d8065a24 100644
--- a/libraries/APM_Control/AR_AttitudeControl.cpp
+++ b/libraries/APM_Control/AR_AttitudeControl.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 #define AR_ATTCONTROL_PITCH_THR_D       0.03f
 #define AR_ATTCONTROL_PITCH_THR_IMAX    1.0f
 #define AR_ATTCONTROL_PITCH_THR_FILT    10.0f
-#define AR_ATTCONTROL_BAL_SPEED_FF      1.0f
+#define AR_ATTCONTROL_BAL_PITCH_FF      0.4f
 #define AR_ATTCONTROL_DT                0.02f
 #define AR_ATTCONTROL_TIMEOUT_MS        200
 #define AR_ATTCONTROL_HEEL_SAIL_P       1.0f
@@ -350,13 +350,13 @@ const AP_Param::GroupInfo AR_AttitudeControl::var_info[] = {
 
     AP_SUBGROUPINFO(_pitch_to_throttle_pid, "_BAL_", 10, AR_AttitudeControl, AC_PID),
 
-    // @Param: _BAL_SPD_FF
-    // @DisplayName: Pitch control feed forward from speed
-    // @Description: Pitch control feed forward from speed
-    // @Range: 0.0 10.0
+    // @Param: _BAL_PIT_FF
+    // @DisplayName: Pitch control feed forward from current pitch angle
+    // @Description: Pitch control feed forward from current pitch angle
+    // @Range: 0.0 1.0
     // @Increment: 0.01
     // @User: Standard
-    AP_GROUPINFO("_BAL_SPD_FF", 11, AR_AttitudeControl, _pitch_to_throttle_speed_ff, AR_ATTCONTROL_BAL_SPEED_FF),
+    AP_GROUPINFO("_BAL_PIT_FF", 11, AR_AttitudeControl, _pitch_to_throttle_ff, AR_ATTCONTROL_BAL_PITCH_FF),
 
     // @Param: _SAIL_P
     // @DisplayName: Sail Heel control P gain
@@ -715,9 +715,9 @@ float AR_AttitudeControl::get_throttle_out_stop(bool motor_limit_low, bool motor
 }
 
 // balancebot pitch to throttle controller
-// returns a throttle output from -100 to +100 given a desired pitch angle and vehicle's current speed (from wheel encoders)
-// desired_pitch is in radians, veh_speed_pct is supplied as a percentage (-100 to +100) of vehicle's top speed
-float AR_AttitudeControl::get_throttle_out_from_pitch(float desired_pitch, float vehicle_speed_pct, bool motor_limit_low, bool motor_limit_high, float dt)
+// returns a throttle output from -1 to +1 given a desired pitch angle (in radians)
+// motor_limit should be true if the motors have hit their upper or lower limit
+float AR_AttitudeControl::get_throttle_out_from_pitch(float desired_pitch, bool motor_limit, float dt)
 {
     // sanity check dt
     dt = constrain_float(dt, 0.0f, 1.0f);
@@ -733,9 +733,12 @@ float AR_AttitudeControl::get_throttle_out_from_pitch(float desired_pitch, float
     // set PID's dt
     _pitch_to_throttle_pid.set_dt(dt);
 
-    // add feed forward from speed
-    float output = vehicle_speed_pct * 0.01f * _pitch_to_throttle_speed_ff;
-    output += _pitch_to_throttle_pid.update_all(desired_pitch, AP::ahrs().pitch, (motor_limit_low || motor_limit_high));
+    // initialise output to feed forward from current pitch angle
+    const float pitch_rad = AP::ahrs().pitch;
+    float output = sinf(pitch_rad) * _pitch_to_throttle_ff;
+
+    // add regular PID control
+    output += _pitch_to_throttle_pid.update_all(desired_pitch, pitch_rad, motor_limit);
     output += _pitch_to_throttle_pid.get_ff();
 
     // constrain and return final output
diff --git a/libraries/APM_Control/AR_AttitudeControl.h b/libraries/APM_Control/AR_AttitudeControl.h
index d5dd9923e0..a89e2be880 100644
--- a/libraries/APM_Control/AR_AttitudeControl.h
+++ b/libraries/APM_Control/AR_AttitudeControl.h
@@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ public:
     float get_throttle_out_stop(bool motor_limit_low, bool motor_limit_high, float cruise_speed, float cruise_throttle, float dt, bool &stopped);
 
     // balancebot pitch to throttle controller
-    // returns a throttle output from -100 to +100 given a desired pitch angle and vehicle's current speed (from wheel encoders)
-    // desired_pitch is in radians, veh_speed_pct is supplied as a percentage (-100 to +100) of vehicle's top speed
-    float get_throttle_out_from_pitch(float desired_pitch, float veh_speed_pct, bool motor_limit_low, bool motor_limit_high, float dt);
+    // returns a throttle output from -1 to +1 given a desired pitch angle (in radians)
+    // motor_limit should be true if the motors have hit their upper or lower limit
+    float get_throttle_out_from_pitch(float desired_pitch, bool motor_limit, float dt);
 
     // get latest desired pitch in radians for reporting purposes
     float get_desired_pitch() const;
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ private:
     AC_PID   _steer_rate_pid;       // steering rate controller
     AC_PID   _throttle_speed_pid;   // throttle speed controller
     AC_PID   _pitch_to_throttle_pid;// balancebot pitch controller
-    AP_Float _pitch_to_throttle_speed_ff;   // balancebot feed forward from speed
+    AP_Float _pitch_to_throttle_ff; // balancebot feed forward from current pitch angle
 
     AP_Float _throttle_accel_max;   // speed/throttle control acceleration (and deceleration) maximum in m/s/s.  0 to disable limits
     AP_Float _throttle_decel_max;    // speed/throttle control deceleration maximum in m/s/s. 0 to use ATC_ACCEL_MAX for deceleration