diff --git a/src/modules/land_detector/LandDetector.h b/src/modules/land_detector/LandDetector.h
index 1b71e8d475..cfe5c87179 100644
--- a/src/modules/land_detector/LandDetector.h
+++ b/src/modules/land_detector/LandDetector.h
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /****************************************************************************
  *
- *   Copyright (c) 2013-2016 PX4 Development Team. All rights reserved.
+ *   Copyright (c) 2013-2017 PX4 Development Team. All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
  * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
@@ -31,12 +31,13 @@
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-/*
+/**
  * @file LandDetector.h
 Land detector interface for multicopter, fixedwing and VTOL implementations.
  *
  * @author Johan Jansen <jnsn.johan@gmail.com>
  * @author Julian Oes <julian@oes.ch>
+ * @author Lorenz Meier <lorenz@px4.io>
  */
 
 #pragma once
@@ -56,13 +57,14 @@ public:
 	enum class LandDetectionState {
 		FLYING = 0,
 		LANDED = 1,
-		FREEFALL = 2
+		FREEFALL = 2,
+		GROUND_CONTACT = 3
 	};
 
 	LandDetector();
 	virtual ~LandDetector();
 
-	/*
+	/**
 	 * @return true if this task is currently running.
 	 */
 	inline bool is_running() const
@@ -71,7 +73,7 @@ public:
 	}
 
 
-	/*
+	/**
 	 * @return current state.
 	 */
 	LandDetectionState get_state() const
@@ -79,57 +81,62 @@ public:
 		return _state;
 	}
 
-	/*
+	/**
 	 * Tells the task that it should exit.
 	 */
 	void stop();
 
-	/*
+	/**
 	 * Get the work queue going.
 	 */
 	int start();
 
 protected:
-	/*
+	/**
 	 * Called once to initialize uORB topics.
 	 */
 	virtual void _initialize_topics() = 0;
 
-	/*
+	/**
 	 * Update uORB topics.
 	 */
 	virtual void _update_topics() = 0;
 
 
-	/*
+	/**
 	 * Update parameters.
 	 */
 	virtual void _update_params() = 0;
 
-	/*
+	/**
 	 * @return true if UAV is in a landed state.
 	 */
 	virtual bool _get_landed_state() = 0;
 
-	/*
+	/**
+	 * @return true if UAV is touching ground but not landed
+	 */
+	bool _get_ground_contact_state() { return _get_landed_state(); }
+
+	/**
 	 * @return true if UAV is in free-fall state.
 	 */
 	virtual bool _get_freefall_state() = 0;
 
-	/*
+	/**
 	 * Convenience function for polling uORB subscriptions.
 	 *
 	 * @return true if there was new data and it was successfully copied
 	 */
 	static bool _orb_update(const struct orb_metadata *meta, int handle, void *buffer);
 
-	/* Run main land detector loop at this rate in Hz. */
+	/** Run main land detector loop at this rate in Hz. */
 	static constexpr uint32_t LAND_DETECTOR_UPDATE_RATE_HZ = 50;
 
-	/* Time in us that landing conditions have to hold before triggering a land. */
+	/** Time in us that landing conditions have to hold before triggering a land. */
 	static constexpr uint64_t LAND_DETECTOR_TRIGGER_TIME_US = 2000000;
 
-	/* Time interval in us in which wider acceptance thresholds are used after arming. */
+	/** Time interval in us in which wider acceptance thresholds are used after arming. */
 	static constexpr uint64_t LAND_DETECTOR_ARM_PHASE_TIME_US = 2000000;
 
 	orb_advert_t _landDetectedPub;
diff --git a/src/modules/land_detector/MulticopterLandDetector.cpp b/src/modules/land_detector/MulticopterLandDetector.cpp
index 2f9fb4d9d2..dde19c3998 100644
--- a/src/modules/land_detector/MulticopterLandDetector.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/land_detector/MulticopterLandDetector.cpp
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ bool MulticopterLandDetector::_get_freefall_state()
 	return (acc_norm < _params.freefall_acc_threshold);	//true if we are currently falling
 }
 
-bool MulticopterLandDetector::_get_landed_state()
+bool MulticopterLandDetector::_get_ground_contact_state()
 {
 	// Time base for this function
 	const uint64_t now = hrt_absolute_time();
@@ -217,6 +217,23 @@ bool MulticopterLandDetector::_get_landed_state()
 	// an accurate in-air indication.
 	bool verticalMovement = fabsf(_vehicleLocalPosition.vz) > _params.maxClimbRate * armThresholdFactor;
 
+	if (!minimalThrust || verticalMovement) {
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	return true;
+}
+
+bool MulticopterLandDetector::_get_landed_state()
+{
+	float armThresholdFactor = 1.0f;
+
+	// Widen acceptance thresholds for landed state right after arming
+	// so that motor spool-up and other effects do not trigger false negatives.
+	if (hrt_elapsed_time(&_arming_time) < LAND_DETECTOR_ARM_PHASE_TIME_US) {
+		armThresholdFactor = 2.5f;
+	}
+
 	// Check if we are moving horizontally.
 	bool horizontalMovement = sqrtf(_vehicleLocalPosition.vx * _vehicleLocalPosition.vx
 					+ _vehicleLocalPosition.vy * _vehicleLocalPosition.vy) > _params.maxVelocity;
@@ -229,7 +246,7 @@ bool MulticopterLandDetector::_get_landed_state()
 			(fabsf(_vehicleAttitude.yawspeed) > maxRotationScaled);
 
 
-	if (verticalMovement || rotating || !minimalThrust || horizontalMovement) {
+	if (!_get_ground_contact_state() || rotating || horizontalMovement) {
 		// Sensed movement or thottle high, so reset the land detector.
 		return false;
 	}
diff --git a/src/modules/land_detector/MulticopterLandDetector.h b/src/modules/land_detector/MulticopterLandDetector.h
index 080194c3e6..a1e3e1e4f8 100644
--- a/src/modules/land_detector/MulticopterLandDetector.h
+++ b/src/modules/land_detector/MulticopterLandDetector.h
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ protected:
 
 	virtual bool _get_landed_state() override;
 
+	bool _get_ground_contact_state();
+
 	virtual bool _get_freefall_state() override;
 private:
 
diff --git a/src/modules/land_detector/VtolLandDetector.cpp b/src/modules/land_detector/VtolLandDetector.cpp
index de058d812f..de6b983b57 100644
--- a/src/modules/land_detector/VtolLandDetector.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/land_detector/VtolLandDetector.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ void VtolLandDetector::_update_topics()
 	_orb_update(ORB_ID(airspeed), _airspeedSub, &_airspeed);
 }
 
+bool VtolLandDetector::_get_ground_contact_state()
+{
+	return MulticopterLandDetector::_get_ground_contact_state();
+}
+
 bool VtolLandDetector::_get_landed_state()
 {
 	// this is returned from the mutlicopter land detector
diff --git a/src/modules/land_detector/VtolLandDetector.h b/src/modules/land_detector/VtolLandDetector.h
index 31a1e448fb..4a0dd4faf0 100644
--- a/src/modules/land_detector/VtolLandDetector.h
+++ b/src/modules/land_detector/VtolLandDetector.h
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ protected:
 
 	virtual bool _get_landed_state() override;
 
+	bool _get_ground_contact_state();
+
 	virtual bool _get_freefall_state() override;
 
 private: