diff --git a/boards/atl/mantis-edu/init/rc.board_mavlink b/boards/atl/mantis-edu/init/rc.board_mavlink
index c8bc7b224a..ff6262d9b2 100644
--- a/boards/atl/mantis-edu/init/rc.board_mavlink
+++ b/boards/atl/mantis-edu/init/rc.board_mavlink
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@
 # board specific MAVLink startup script.
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+# MAVLink instance for Gimbal control & generic WiFi connection (e.g. QGC)
 set GIMBAL_TTY /dev/ttyS3
 set MAV_RATE 40000
 set BAUDRATE 500000
 
-mavlink start -r ${MAV_RATE} -d ${GIMBAL_TTY} -b ${BAUDRATE}
+mavlink start -r ${MAV_RATE} -d ${GIMBAL_TTY} -b ${BAUDRATE} -x
 mavlink stream -d ${GIMBAL_TTY} -s SYSTEM_TIME -r 0.5
 mavlink stream -d ${GIMBAL_TTY} -s AUTOPILOT_STATE_FOR_GIMBAL_DEVICE -r 20
 mavlink stream -d ${GIMBAL_TTY} -s GIMBAL_DEVICE_SET_ATTITUDE -r 20