diff --git a/ArduCopter/control_sport.cpp b/ArduCopter/control_sport.cpp
index d0bc7e08d5..06d75866e0 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/control_sport.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/control_sport.cpp
@@ -24,30 +24,21 @@ bool Copter::sport_init(bool ignore_checks)
 // should be called at 100hz or more
 void Copter::sport_run()
 {
-    float target_roll_rate, target_pitch_rate, target_yaw_rate;
-    float target_climb_rate = 0;
+    SportModeState sport_state;
     float takeoff_climb_rate = 0.0f;
 
     // initialize vertical speed and acceleration
     pos_control.set_speed_z(-g.pilot_velocity_z_max, g.pilot_velocity_z_max);
     pos_control.set_accel_z(g.pilot_accel_z);
 
-    // if not armed or throttle at zero, set throttle to zero and exit immediately
-    if (!motors.armed() || ap.throttle_zero || !motors.get_interlock()) {
-        motors.set_desired_spool_state(AP_Motors::DESIRED_SPIN_WHEN_ARMED);
-        attitude_control.set_throttle_out_unstabilized(0,true,g.throttle_filt);
-        pos_control.relax_alt_hold_controllers(0.0f);
-        return;
-    }
-
     // apply SIMPLE mode transform
     update_simple_mode();
 
     // get pilot's desired roll and pitch rates
 
     // calculate rate requests
-    target_roll_rate = channel_roll->get_control_in() * g.acro_rp_p;
-    target_pitch_rate = channel_pitch->get_control_in() * g.acro_rp_p;
+    float target_roll_rate = channel_roll->get_control_in() * g.acro_rp_p;
+    float target_pitch_rate = channel_pitch->get_control_in() * g.acro_rp_p;
 
     int32_t roll_angle = wrap_180_cd(ahrs.roll_sensor);
     target_roll_rate -= constrain_int32(roll_angle, -ACRO_LEVEL_MAX_ANGLE, ACRO_LEVEL_MAX_ANGLE) * g.acro_balance_roll;
@@ -69,41 +60,91 @@ void Copter::sport_run()
     }
 
     // get pilot's desired yaw rate
-    target_yaw_rate = get_pilot_desired_yaw_rate(channel_yaw->get_control_in());
+    float target_yaw_rate = get_pilot_desired_yaw_rate(channel_yaw->get_control_in());
 
     // get pilot desired climb rate
-    target_climb_rate = get_pilot_desired_climb_rate(channel_throttle->get_control_in());
+    float target_climb_rate = get_pilot_desired_climb_rate(channel_throttle->get_control_in());
     target_climb_rate = constrain_float(target_climb_rate, -g.pilot_velocity_z_max, g.pilot_velocity_z_max);
 
-    // get takeoff adjusted pilot and takeoff climb rates
-    takeoff_get_climb_rates(target_climb_rate, takeoff_climb_rate);
+#if FRAME_CONFIG == HELI_FRAME
+    // helicopters are held on the ground until rotor speed runup has finished
+    bool takeoff_triggered = (ap.land_complete && (target_climb_rate > 0.0f) && motors.rotor_runup_complete());
+#else
+    bool takeoff_triggered = ap.land_complete && (target_climb_rate > 0.0f);
+#endif
 
-    // check for take-off
-    if (ap.land_complete && (takeoff_state.running || (channel_throttle->get_control_in() > get_takeoff_trigger_throttle()))) {
-        if (!takeoff_state.running) {
-            takeoff_timer_start(constrain_float(g.pilot_takeoff_alt,0.0f,1000.0f));
-        }
-
-        // indicate we are taking off
-        set_land_complete(false);
-        // clear i term when we're taking off
-        set_throttle_takeoff();
+    // State Machine Determination
+    if (!motors.armed() || !motors.get_interlock()) {
+        sport_state = Sport_MotorStopped;
+    } else if (takeoff_state.running || takeoff_triggered) {
+        sport_state = Sport_Takeoff;
+    } else if (!ap.auto_armed || ap.land_complete) {
+        sport_state = Sport_Landed;
+    } else {
+        sport_state = Sport_Flying;
     }
 
-    // reset target lean angles and heading while landed
-    if (ap.land_complete) {
-        if (ap.throttle_zero) {
-            motors.set_desired_spool_state(AP_Motors::DESIRED_SPIN_WHEN_ARMED);
-        }else{
-            motors.set_desired_spool_state(AP_Motors::DESIRED_THROTTLE_UNLIMITED);
-        }
-        // move throttle to between minimum and non-takeoff-throttle to keep us on the ground
-        attitude_control.set_throttle_out(get_throttle_pre_takeoff(channel_throttle->get_control_in()),false,g.throttle_filt);
-        pos_control.relax_alt_hold_controllers(0.0f);
-    }else{
+    // State Machine
+    switch (sport_state) {
+
+    case Sport_MotorStopped:
+
+        motors.set_desired_spool_state(AP_Motors::DESIRED_SHUT_DOWN);
+        attitude_control.input_euler_rate_roll_pitch_yaw(target_roll_rate, target_pitch_rate, target_yaw_rate);
+#if FRAME_CONFIG == HELI_FRAME
+        // force descent rate and call position controller
+        pos_control.set_alt_target_from_climb_rate(-abs(g.land_speed), G_Dt, false);
+#else
+        attitude_control.relax_attitude_controllers();
+        attitude_control.reset_rate_controller_I_terms();
+        attitude_control.set_yaw_target_to_current_heading();
+        pos_control.relax_alt_hold_controllers(0.0f);   // forces throttle output to go to zero
+#endif
+        pos_control.update_z_controller();
+        break;
+
+    case Sport_Takeoff:
         // set motors to full range
         motors.set_desired_spool_state(AP_Motors::DESIRED_THROTTLE_UNLIMITED);
 
+        // initiate take-off
+        if (!takeoff_state.running) {
+            takeoff_timer_start(constrain_float(g.pilot_takeoff_alt,0.0f,1000.0f));
+            // indicate we are taking off
+            set_land_complete(false);
+            // clear i terms
+            set_throttle_takeoff();
+        }
+
+        // get take-off adjusted pilot and takeoff climb rates
+        takeoff_get_climb_rates(target_climb_rate, takeoff_climb_rate);
+
+        // call attitude controller
+        attitude_control.input_euler_rate_roll_pitch_yaw(target_roll_rate, target_pitch_rate, target_yaw_rate);
+
+        // call position controller
+        pos_control.set_alt_target_from_climb_rate_ff(target_climb_rate, G_Dt, false);
+        pos_control.add_takeoff_climb_rate(takeoff_climb_rate, G_Dt);
+        pos_control.update_z_controller();
+        break;
+
+    case Sport_Landed:
+        // set motors to spin-when-armed if throttle below deadzone, otherwise full range (but motors will only spin at min throttle)
+        if (target_climb_rate < 0.0f) {
+            motors.set_desired_spool_state(AP_Motors::DESIRED_SPIN_WHEN_ARMED);
+        } else {
+            motors.set_desired_spool_state(AP_Motors::DESIRED_THROTTLE_UNLIMITED);
+        }
+
+        attitude_control.reset_rate_controller_I_terms();
+        attitude_control.set_yaw_target_to_current_heading();
+        attitude_control.input_euler_rate_roll_pitch_yaw(target_roll_rate, target_pitch_rate, target_yaw_rate);
+        pos_control.relax_alt_hold_controllers(0.0f);   // forces throttle output to go to zero
+        pos_control.update_z_controller();
+        break;
+
+    case Sport_Flying:
+        motors.set_desired_spool_state(AP_Motors::DESIRED_THROTTLE_UNLIMITED);
         // call attitude controller
         attitude_control.input_euler_rate_roll_pitch_yaw(target_roll_rate, target_pitch_rate, target_yaw_rate);
 
@@ -115,7 +156,7 @@ void Copter::sport_run()
 
         // call position controller
         pos_control.set_alt_target_from_climb_rate_ff(target_climb_rate, G_Dt, false);
-        pos_control.add_takeoff_climb_rate(takeoff_climb_rate, G_Dt);
         pos_control.update_z_controller();
+        break;
     }
 }
diff --git a/ArduCopter/defines.h b/ArduCopter/defines.h
index fb8715ed89..2cc411d7ec 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/defines.h
+++ b/ArduCopter/defines.h
@@ -238,6 +238,14 @@ enum LoiterModeState {
     Loiter_Landed
 };
 
+// Sport states
+enum SportModeState {
+    Sport_MotorStopped,
+    Sport_Takeoff,
+    Sport_Flying,
+    Sport_Landed
+};
+
 // Flip states
 enum FlipState {
     Flip_Start,