diff --git a/msg/manual_control_switches.msg b/msg/manual_control_switches.msg
index d343a3ab52..4d1cbab232 100644
--- a/msg/manual_control_switches.msg
+++ b/msg/manual_control_switches.msg
@@ -29,4 +29,6 @@ uint8 transition_switch          # VTOL transition switch: _HOVER, FORWARD_FLIGH
 uint8 photo_switch               # Photo trigger switch
 uint8 video_switch               # Photo trigger switch
 
+uint8 engage_main_motor_switch   # Engage the main motor (for helicopters)
+
 uint32 switch_changes            # number of switch changes
diff --git a/msg/rc_channels.msg b/msg/rc_channels.msg
index e44812d70d..546755f66f 100644
--- a/msg/rc_channels.msg
+++ b/msg/rc_channels.msg
@@ -27,13 +27,14 @@ uint8 FUNCTION_FLTBTN_SLOT_3 = 23
 uint8 FUNCTION_FLTBTN_SLOT_4 = 24
 uint8 FUNCTION_FLTBTN_SLOT_5 = 25
 uint8 FUNCTION_FLTBTN_SLOT_6 = 26
+uint8 FUNCTION_ENGAGE_MAIN_MOTOR = 27
 
 uint8 FUNCTION_FLTBTN_SLOT_COUNT = 6
 
 uint64 timestamp_last_valid					# Timestamp of last valid RC signal
 float32[18] channels						# Scaled to -1..1 (throttle: 0..1)
 uint8 channel_count						# Number of valid channels
-int8[27] function						# Functions mapping
+int8[28] function						# Functions mapping
 uint8 rssi							# Receive signal strength index
 bool signal_lost						# Control signal lost, should be checked together with topic timeout
 uint32 frame_drop_count						# Number of dropped frames
diff --git a/src/modules/control_allocator/ActuatorEffectiveness/ActuatorEffectivenessHelicopter.cpp b/src/modules/control_allocator/ActuatorEffectiveness/ActuatorEffectivenessHelicopter.cpp
index dfb17578d6..e38fedd94f 100644
--- a/src/modules/control_allocator/ActuatorEffectiveness/ActuatorEffectivenessHelicopter.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/control_allocator/ActuatorEffectiveness/ActuatorEffectivenessHelicopter.cpp
@@ -132,7 +132,8 @@ void ActuatorEffectivenessHelicopter::updateSetpoint(const matrix::Vector<float,
 	const float collective_pitch = math::interpolateN(-control_sp(ControlAxis::THRUST_Z), _geometry.pitch_curve);
 
 	// actuator mapping
-	actuator_sp(0) = throttle;
+	actuator_sp(0) = mainMotorEnaged() ? throttle : NAN;
+
 	actuator_sp(1) = control_sp(ControlAxis::YAW)
 			 + fabsf(collective_pitch) * _geometry.yaw_collective_pitch_scale
 			 + throttle * _geometry.yaw_throttle_scale;
@@ -147,23 +148,16 @@ void ActuatorEffectivenessHelicopter::updateSetpoint(const matrix::Vector<float,
 	}
 }
 
-float ActuatorEffectivenessHelicopter::throttleSpoolupProgress()
+bool ActuatorEffectivenessHelicopter::mainMotorEnaged()
 {
-	vehicle_status_s vehicle_status;
+	manual_control_switches_s manual_control_switches;
 
-	if (_vehicle_status_sub.update(&vehicle_status)) {
-		_armed = vehicle_status.arming_state == vehicle_status_s::ARMING_STATE_ARMED;
-		_armed_time = vehicle_status.armed_time;
+	if (_manual_control_switches_sub.update(&manual_control_switches)) {
+		_main_motor_engaged = manual_control_switches.engage_main_motor_switch == manual_control_switches_s::SWITCH_POS_NONE
+				      || manual_control_switches.engage_main_motor_switch == manual_control_switches_s::SWITCH_POS_ON;
 	}
 
-	const float time_since_arming = (hrt_absolute_time() - _armed_time) / 1e6f;
-	const float spoolup_progress = time_since_arming / _geometry.spoolup_time;
-
-	if (_armed && spoolup_progress < 1.f) {
-		return spoolup_progress;
-	}
-
-	return 1.f;
+	return _main_motor_engaged;
 }
 
 float ActuatorEffectivenessHelicopter::throttleSpoolupProgress()
diff --git a/src/modules/control_allocator/ActuatorEffectiveness/ActuatorEffectivenessHelicopter.hpp b/src/modules/control_allocator/ActuatorEffectiveness/ActuatorEffectivenessHelicopter.hpp
index c66fb52906..409ec2259d 100644
--- a/src/modules/control_allocator/ActuatorEffectiveness/ActuatorEffectivenessHelicopter.hpp
+++ b/src/modules/control_allocator/ActuatorEffectiveness/ActuatorEffectivenessHelicopter.hpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 
 #include <uORB/Subscription.hpp>
 #include <uORB/topics/vehicle_status.h>
+#include <uORB/topics/manual_control_switches.h>
 
 class ActuatorEffectivenessHelicopter : public ModuleParams, public ActuatorEffectiveness
 {
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ public:
 			    ActuatorVector &actuator_sp) override;
 private:
 	float throttleSpoolupProgress();
+	bool mainMotorEnaged();
 
 	void updateParams() override;
 
@@ -104,4 +106,7 @@ private:
 	uORB::Subscription _vehicle_status_sub{ORB_ID(vehicle_status)};
 	bool _armed{false};
 	uint64_t _armed_time{0};
+
+	uORB::Subscription _manual_control_switches_sub{ORB_ID(manual_control_switches)};
+	bool _main_motor_engaged{true};
 };
diff --git a/src/modules/rc_update/params.c b/src/modules/rc_update/params.c
index 72ea4b8ee6..737d061be9 100644
--- a/src/modules/rc_update/params.c
+++ b/src/modules/rc_update/params.c
@@ -1855,6 +1855,34 @@ PARAM_DEFINE_INT32(RC_MAP_PARAM2, 0);
  */
 PARAM_DEFINE_INT32(RC_MAP_PARAM3, 0);
 
+/**
+ * RC channel to engage the main motor (for helicopters)
+ *
+ * @min 0
+ * @max 18
+ * @group Radio Calibration
+ * @value 0 Unassigned
+ * @value 1 Channel 1
+ * @value 2 Channel 2
+ * @value 3 Channel 3
+ * @value 4 Channel 4
+ * @value 5 Channel 5
+ * @value 6 Channel 6
+ * @value 7 Channel 7
+ * @value 8 Channel 8
+ * @value 9 Channel 9
+ * @value 10 Channel 10
+ * @value 11 Channel 11
+ * @value 12 Channel 12
+ * @value 13 Channel 13
+ * @value 14 Channel 14
+ * @value 15 Channel 15
+ * @value 16 Channel 16
+ * @value 17 Channel 17
+ * @value 18 Channel 18
+ */
+PARAM_DEFINE_INT32(RC_MAP_ENG_MOT, 0);
+
 /**
  * Failsafe channel PWM threshold.
  *
@@ -1985,6 +2013,22 @@ PARAM_DEFINE_FLOAT(RC_TRANS_TH, 0.75f);
  */
 PARAM_DEFINE_FLOAT(RC_GEAR_TH, 0.75f);
 
+/**
+ * Threshold for selecting main motor engage
+ *
+ * 0-1 indicate where in the full channel range the threshold sits
+ * 		0 : min
+ * 		1 : max
+ * sign indicates polarity of comparison
+ * 		positive : true when channel>th
+ * 		negative : true when channel<th
+ *
+ * @min -1
+ * @max 1
+ * @group Radio Switches
+ */
+PARAM_DEFINE_FLOAT(RC_ENG_MOT_TH, 0.75f);
+
 /**
  * PWM input channel that provides RSSI.
  *
diff --git a/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.cpp b/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.cpp
index ab58f0259a..44ce9a0589 100644
--- a/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ static bool operator ==(const manual_control_switches_s &a, const manual_control
 		a.transition_switch == b.transition_switch &&
 		a.gear_switch == b.gear_switch &&
 		a.photo_switch == b.photo_switch &&
-		a.video_switch == b.video_switch);
+		a.video_switch == b.video_switch &&
+		a.engage_main_motor_switch == b.engage_main_motor_switch);
 }
 
 static bool operator !=(const manual_control_switches_s &a, const manual_control_switches_s &b) { return !(a == b); }
@@ -231,6 +232,8 @@ void RCUpdate::update_rc_functions()
 		_rc.function[rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_PARAM_1 + i] = _parameters.rc_map_param[i] - 1;
 	}
 
+	_rc.function[rc_channels_s::FUNCTION_ENGAGE_MAIN_MOTOR] = _param_rc_map_eng_mot.get() - 1;
+
 	map_flight_modes_buttons();
 }
 
@@ -643,7 +646,8 @@ void RCUpdate::UpdateManualSwitches(const hrt_abstime &timestamp_sample)
 	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());
 #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);
diff --git a/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.h b/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.h
index 29bf2fa544..1bbd8a5e11 100644
--- a/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.h
+++ b/src/modules/rc_update/rc_update.h
@@ -226,6 +226,8 @@ public:
 		(ParamInt<px4::params::RC_MAP_AUX5>) _param_rc_map_aux5,
 		(ParamInt<px4::params::RC_MAP_AUX6>) _param_rc_map_aux6,
 
+		(ParamInt<px4::params::RC_MAP_ENG_MOT>) _param_rc_map_eng_mot,
+
 		(ParamInt<px4::params::RC_FAILS_THR>) _param_rc_fails_thr,
 
 		(ParamFloat<px4::params::RC_LOITER_TH>) _param_rc_loiter_th,
@@ -235,6 +237,7 @@ public:
 		(ParamFloat<px4::params::RC_TRANS_TH>) _param_rc_trans_th,
 		(ParamFloat<px4::params::RC_GEAR_TH>) _param_rc_gear_th,
 		(ParamFloat<px4::params::RC_RETURN_TH>) _param_rc_return_th,
+		(ParamFloat<px4::params::RC_ENG_MOT_TH>) _param_rc_eng_mot_th,
 
 		(ParamInt<px4::params::RC_CHAN_CNT>) _param_rc_chan_cnt
 	)