diff --git a/src/modules/rc_update/RCUpdateTest.cpp b/src/modules/rc_update/RCUpdateTest.cpp
index a58a01d3dc..6a21a469a4 100644
--- a/src/modules/rc_update/RCUpdateTest.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/rc_update/RCUpdateTest.cpp
@@ -223,3 +223,23 @@ TEST_F(RCUpdateTest, ReturnSwitchPositiveThresholds)
 	checkReturnSwitch(-1.f, 1.f, 3); // Below maximum threshold -> SWITCH_POS_OFF
 	checkReturnSwitch(1.f, 1.f, 3); // On maximum threshold -> SWITCH_POS_OFF
 }
+
+TEST_F(RCUpdateTest, ReturnSwitchNegativeThresholds)
+{
+	checkReturnSwitch(1.f, -0.5f, 3); // Above threshold -> SWITCH_POS_OFF
+	checkReturnSwitch(0.f, -0.5f, 3); // On threshold -> SWITCH_POS_OFF
+	checkReturnSwitch(-.001f, -0.5f, 1); // Slightly below threshold -> SWITCH_POS_ON
+	checkReturnSwitch(-1.f, -0.5f, 1); // Below threshold -> SWITCH_POS_ON
+
+	checkReturnSwitch(1.f, -0.75f, 3); // Above threshold -> SWITCH_POS_OFF
+	checkReturnSwitch(.5f, -0.75f, 3); // On threshold -> SWITCH_POS_OFF
+	checkReturnSwitch(-.001f, -0.75f, 1); // Slightly below threshold -> SWITCH_POS_ON
+	checkReturnSwitch(-1.f, -0.75f, 1); // Below threshold -> SWITCH_POS_ON
+
+	checkReturnSwitch(1.f, -1.f, 3); // On maximum threshold -> SWITCH_POS_OFF
+	checkReturnSwitch(.999f, -1.f, 1); // Slighly below maximum threshold -> SWITCH_POS_ON
+	checkReturnSwitch(-1.f, -1.f, 1); // Below minimum threshold -> SWITCH_POS_ON
+
+	checkReturnSwitch(1.f, -.001f, 3); // Above minimum threshold -> SWITCH_POS_OFF
+	checkReturnSwitch(-1.f, -.001f, 1); // Slightly below minimum threshold -> SWITCH_POS_OFF
+}
diff --git a/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.cpp b/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.cpp
index 24d4ca51b0..6aa4ffd20b 100644
--- a/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.cpp
@@ -561,19 +561,16 @@ void RCUpdate::Run()
 	perf_end(_loop_perf);
 }
 
-switch_pos_t RCUpdate::get_rc_sw2pos_position(uint8_t func, float on_th) const
+switch_pos_t RCUpdate::getRCSwitchOnOffPosition(uint8_t function, float threshold) const
 {
-	if (_rc.function[func] >= 0) {
-		const bool on_inv = (on_th < 0.f);
+	if (_rc.function[function] >= 0) {
+		float value = 0.5f * _rc.channels[_rc.function[function]] + 0.5f; // Rescale [-1,1] -> [0,1] range
 
-		const float value = 0.5f * _rc.channels[_rc.function[func]] + 0.5f;
-
-		if (on_inv ? value < on_th : value > on_th) {
-			return manual_control_switches_s::SWITCH_POS_ON;
-
-		} else {
-			return manual_control_switches_s::SWITCH_POS_OFF;
+		if (threshold < 0.f) {
+			value = -value;
 		}
+
+		return (value > threshold) ? manual_control_switches_s::SWITCH_POS_ON : manual_control_switches_s::SWITCH_POS_OFF;
 	}
 
 	return manual_control_switches_s::SWITCH_POS_NONE;
@@ -640,18 +637,18 @@ void RCUpdate::UpdateManualSwitches(const hrt_abstime &timestamp_sample)
 		}
 	}
 
-	switches.return_switch     = get_rc_sw2pos_position(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_RETURN,     _param_rc_return_th.get());
-	switches.loiter_switch     = get_rc_sw2pos_position(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_LOITER,     _param_rc_loiter_th.get());
-	switches.offboard_switch   = get_rc_sw2pos_position(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_OFFBOARD,   _param_rc_offb_th.get());
-	switches.kill_switch       = get_rc_sw2pos_position(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_KILLSWITCH, _param_rc_killswitch_th.get());
-	switches.arm_switch        = get_rc_sw2pos_position(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_ARMSWITCH,  _param_rc_armswitch_th.get());
-	switches.transition_switch = get_rc_sw2pos_position(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_TRANSITION, _param_rc_trans_th.get());
-	switches.gear_switch       = get_rc_sw2pos_position(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_GEAR,       _param_rc_gear_th.get());
-	switches.engage_main_motor_switch = get_rc_sw2pos_position(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_ENGAGE_MAIN_MOTOR,
-					    _param_rc_eng_mot_th.get());
+	switches.return_switch = getRCSwitchOnOffPosition(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_RETURN, _param_rc_return_th.get());
+	switches.loiter_switch = getRCSwitchOnOffPosition(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_LOITER, _param_rc_loiter_th.get());
+	switches.offboard_switch = getRCSwitchOnOffPosition(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_OFFBOARD, _param_rc_offb_th.get());
+	switches.kill_switch = getRCSwitchOnOffPosition(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_KILLSWITCH, _param_rc_killswitch_th.get());
+	switches.arm_switch = getRCSwitchOnOffPosition(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_ARMSWITCH, _param_rc_armswitch_th.get());
+	switches.transition_switch = getRCSwitchOnOffPosition(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_TRANSITION, _param_rc_trans_th.get());
+	switches.gear_switch = getRCSwitchOnOffPosition(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_GEAR, _param_rc_gear_th.get());
+	switches.engage_main_motor_switch =
+		getRCSwitchOnOffPosition(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_ENGAGE_MAIN_MOTOR, _param_rc_eng_mot_th.get());
 #if defined(ATL_MANTIS_RC_INPUT_HACKS)
-	switches.photo_switch = get_rc_sw2pos_position(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_AUX_3, 0.5f);
-	switches.video_switch = get_rc_sw2pos_position(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_AUX_4, 0.5f);
+	switches.photo_switch = getRCSwitchOnOffPosition(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_AUX_3, 0.5f);
+	switches.video_switch = getRCSwitchOnOffPosition(rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_AUX_4, 0.5f);
 #endif
 
 	// last 2 switch updates identical within 1 second (simple protection from bad RC data)
diff --git a/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.h b/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.h
index 16a6ed76ed..edd9e18dfc 100644
--- a/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.h
+++ b/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.h
@@ -118,15 +118,16 @@ protected:
 	float		get_rc_value(uint8_t func, float min_value, float max_value) const;
 
 	/**
-	 * Get switch position for specified function.
+	 * Get on/off switch position from the RC channel of the specified function
+	 *
+	 * @param function according to rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_XXX
+	 * @param threshold according to RC_XXX_TH parameters, negative means on and off are flipped
 	 */
-	switch_pos_t	get_rc_sw2pos_position(uint8_t func, float on_th) const;
+	switch_pos_t getRCSwitchOnOffPosition(uint8_t function, float threshold) const;
 
 	/**
 	 * Update parameters from RC channels if the functionality is activated and the
 	 * input has changed since the last update
-	 *
-	 * @param
 	 */
 	void		set_params_from_rc();