diff --git a/sw/airborne/boards/ardrone/navdata.c b/sw/airborne/boards/ardrone/navdata.c
index be5e5be248..5d7a461963 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/boards/ardrone/navdata.c
+++ b/sw/airborne/boards/ardrone/navdata.c
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ static void send_navdata(struct transport_tx *trans, struct link_device *dev)
 static void send_filter_status(struct transport_tx *trans, struct link_device *dev)
 {
   uint8_t mde = 3;
-  if (ahrs.status == AHRS_UNINIT) { mde = 2; }
+  if (!DefaultAhrsImpl.is_aligned) { mde = 2; }
   if (imu_lost) { mde = 5; }
   uint16_t val = imu_lost_counter;
   pprz_msg_send_STATE_FILTER_STATUS(trans, dev, AC_ID, &mde, &val);
diff --git a/sw/airborne/modules/datalink/mavlink.c b/sw/airborne/modules/datalink/mavlink.c
index b562b348c4..f6f807152e 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/modules/datalink/mavlink.c
+++ b/sw/airborne/modules/datalink/mavlink.c
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ static inline void mavlink_send_heartbeat(void)
 #else
   uint8_t mav_type = MAV_TYPE_QUADROTOR;
 #endif
-  if (ahrs.status == AHRS_RUNNING) {
+  if (DefaultAhrsImpl.is_aligned) {
     if (kill_throttle) {
       mav_state = MAV_STATE_STANDBY;
     }
diff --git a/sw/airborne/modules/ins/ahrs_chimu.h b/sw/airborne/modules/ins/ahrs_chimu.h
index e016ef7871..6ab50e450a 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/modules/ins/ahrs_chimu.h
+++ b/sw/airborne/modules/ins/ahrs_chimu.h
@@ -29,9 +29,15 @@
 #include "modules/ins/ins_module.h"
 #include "subsystems/ahrs.h"
 
+struct AhrsChimu {
+  bool_t is_aligned;
+};
+
+extern struct AhrsChimu ahrs_chimu;
+
 #define DefaultAhrsImpl ahrs_chimu
 
 extern void ahrs_chimu_register(void);
-extern void ahrs_chimu_init(struct OrientationReps* body_to_imu);
+extern void ahrs_chimu_init(void);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/sw/airborne/modules/ins/ahrs_chimu_spi.c b/sw/airborne/modules/ins/ahrs_chimu_spi.c
index 9c58f09bbb..40b705d18c 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/modules/ins/ahrs_chimu_spi.c
+++ b/sw/airborne/modules/ins/ahrs_chimu_spi.c
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ CHIMU_PARSER_DATA CHIMU_DATA;
 INS_FORMAT ins_roll_neutral;
 INS_FORMAT ins_pitch_neutral;
 
+struct AhrsChimu ahrs_chimu;
+
 void ahrs_chimu_update_gps(void);
 
 void ahrs_chimu_register(void)
@@ -42,9 +44,9 @@ void ahrs_chimu_register(void)
   ahrs_register_impl(ahrs_chimu_init, ahrs_chimu_update_gps);
 }
 
-void ahrs_chimu_init(struct OrientationReps* body_to_imu __attribute__((unused)))
+void ahrs_chimu_init(void)
 {
-  ahrs.status = AHRS_UNINIT;
+  ahrs_chimu.is_aligned = FALSE;
 
   // uint8_t ping[7] = {CHIMU_STX, CHIMU_STX, 0x01, CHIMU_BROADCAST, MSG00_PING, 0x00, 0xE6 };
   uint8_t rate[12] = {CHIMU_STX, CHIMU_STX, 0x06, CHIMU_BROADCAST, MSG10_UARTSETTINGS, 0x05, 0xff, 0x79, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x76 };  // 50Hz attitude only + SPI
@@ -103,7 +105,7 @@ void parse_ins_msg(void)
         }; // FIXME rate r
         stateSetBodyRates_f(&rates);
         //FIXME
-        ahrs.status = AHRS_RUNNING;
+        ahrs_chimu.is_aligned = TRUE;
       } else if (CHIMU_DATA.m_MsgID == 0x02) {
 #if CHIMU_DOWNLINK_IMMEDIATE
         RunOnceEvery(25, DOWNLINK_SEND_AHRS_EULER(DefaultChannel, DefaultDevice, &CHIMU_DATA.m_sensor.rate[0],
diff --git a/sw/airborne/modules/ins/ahrs_chimu_uart.c b/sw/airborne/modules/ins/ahrs_chimu_uart.c
index 9243b7cb80..b993ee3f92 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/modules/ins/ahrs_chimu_uart.c
+++ b/sw/airborne/modules/ins/ahrs_chimu_uart.c
@@ -30,14 +30,16 @@ CHIMU_PARSER_DATA CHIMU_DATA;
 INS_FORMAT ins_roll_neutral;
 INS_FORMAT ins_pitch_neutral;
 
+struct AhrsChimu ahrs_chimu;
+
 void ahrs_chimu_register(void)
 {
   ahrs_register_impl(ahrs_chimu_init, NULL);
 }
 
-void ahrs_chimu_init(struct OrientationReps* body_to_imu __attribute__((unused)))
+void ahrs_chimu_init(void)
 {
-  ahrs.status = AHRS_UNINIT;
+  ahrs_chimu.is_aligned = FALSE;
 
   uint8_t ping[7] = {CHIMU_STX, CHIMU_STX, 0x01, CHIMU_BROADCAST, MSG00_PING, 0x00, 0xE6 };
   uint8_t rate[12] = {CHIMU_STX, CHIMU_STX, 0x06, CHIMU_BROADCAST, MSG10_UARTSETTINGS, 0x05, 0xff, 0x79, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x76 };  // 50Hz attitude only + SPI
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ void parse_ins_msg(void)
           CHIMU_DATA.m_attitude.euler.psi
         };
         stateSetNedToBodyEulers_f(&att);
-        ahrs.status = AHRS_RUNNING;
+        ahrs_chimu.is_aligned = TRUE;
 #if CHIMU_DOWNLINK_IMMEDIATE
         DOWNLINK_SEND_AHRS_EULER(DefaultChannel, DefaultDevice, &CHIMU_DATA.m_attitude.euler.phi,
                                  &CHIMU_DATA.m_attitude.euler.theta, &CHIMU_DATA.m_attitude.euler.psi);
diff --git a/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_ardrone2.c b/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_ardrone2.c
index 6592385cd3..4f3b2c48b9 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_ardrone2.c
+++ b/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_ardrone2.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 # include <stdio.h>
 #endif
 
+#include "subsystems/ahrs.h"
 #include "ahrs_ardrone2.h"
 #include "state.h"
 #include "math/pprz_algebra_float.h"
@@ -71,14 +72,15 @@ void ahrs_ardrone2_register(void)
   ahrs_register_impl(ahrs_ardrone2_init, NULL);
 }
 
-void ahrs_ardrone2_init(struct OrientationReps* body_to_imu __attribute__((unused))) {
+void ahrs_ardrone2_init(void)
+{
   init_at_com();
 
   //Set navdata_demo to FALSE and flat trim the ar drone
   at_com_send_config("general:navdata_demo", "FALSE");
   at_com_send_ftrim();
 
-  ahrs.status = AHRS_RUNNING;
+  ahrs_ardrone2.is_aligned = TRUE;
 
 #if PERIODIC_TELEMETRY
   register_periodic_telemetry(DefaultPeriodic, "AHRS_ARDRONE2", send_ahrs_ad2);
diff --git a/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_ardrone2.h b/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_ardrone2.h
index 6ff5197926..7aa81ece64 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_ardrone2.h
+++ b/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_ardrone2.h
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
 #ifndef AHRS_ARDRONE2_H
 #define AHRS_ARDRONE2_H
 
-#include "subsystems/ahrs.h"
 #include "std.h"
 #include "math/pprz_algebra_int.h"
 #include "math/pprz_geodetic_float.h"
@@ -44,13 +43,14 @@ struct AhrsARDrone {
   int32_t altitude;           // in cm above ground
   uint32_t battery;           // in percentage
   struct Int32Quat ltp_to_imu_quat;
+  bool_t is_aligned;
 };
 extern struct AhrsARDrone ahrs_ardrone2;
 
 #define DefaultAhrsImpl ahrs_ardrone2
 
 extern void ahrs_ardrone2_register(void);
-extern void ahrs_ardrone2_init(struct OrientationReps* body_to_imu);
+extern void ahrs_ardrone2_init(void);
 extern void ahrs_ardrone2_propagate(void);
 
 #endif /* AHRS_ARDRONE2_H */
diff --git a/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_infrared.c b/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_infrared.c
index 12b5ffa9e8..4e61ec87bc 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_infrared.c
+++ b/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_infrared.c
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@
 #include "state.h"
 #include "subsystems/abi.h"
 
+struct AhrsInfrared ahrs_infrared;
+
 float heading;
 
 /** ABI binding for gyro data.
@@ -77,8 +79,9 @@ void ahrs_infrared_register(void)
   ahrs_register_impl(ahrs_infrared_init, ahrs_infrared_update_gps);
 }
 
-void ahrs_infrared_init(struct OrientationReps* body_to_imu __attribute__((unused))) {
-  ahrs.status = AHRS_RUNNING;
+void ahrs_infrared_init(void)
+{
+  ahrs_infrared.is_aligned = TRUE;
 
   heading = 0.;
 
diff --git a/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_infrared.h b/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_infrared.h
index 49fd0901dd..8e40ee013a 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_infrared.h
+++ b/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_infrared.h
@@ -33,8 +33,14 @@
 #include "subsystems/ahrs.h"
 #include "math/pprz_orientation_conversion.h"
 
+struct AhrsInfrared {
+  bool_t is_aligned;
+};
+
+extern struct AhrsInfrared ahrs_infrared;
+
 extern void ahrs_infrared_register(void);
-extern void ahrs_infrared_init(struct OrientationReps* body_to_imu __attribute__((unused)));
+extern void ahrs_infrared_init(void);
 extern void ahrs_update_infrared(void);
 extern void ahrs_infrared_update_gps(void);
 
diff --git a/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_sim.c b/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_sim.c
index 37b44e0215..2dd120f445 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_sim.c
+++ b/sw/airborne/subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_sim.c
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
  *
  */
 
-#include "subsystems/ahrs.h"
 #include "subsystems/ahrs/ahrs_sim.h"
 #include "math/pprz_algebra_float.h"
 #include "generated/airframe.h"
@@ -50,7 +49,8 @@ float ins_roll_neutral = INS_ROLL_NEUTRAL_DEFAULT;
 float ins_pitch_neutral = INS_PITCH_NEUTRAL_DEFAULT;
 
 
-void update_ahrs_from_sim(void) {
+void update_ahrs_from_sim(void)
+{
 
   struct FloatEulers ltp_to_imu_euler = { sim_phi, sim_theta, sim_psi };
   struct FloatRates imu_rate = { sim_p, sim_q, sim_r };
@@ -61,8 +61,6 @@ void update_ahrs_from_sim(void) {
 }
 
 
-void ahrs_sim_init(void) {
-  //ahrs_float.status = AHRS_UNINIT;
-  // set to running for now
-  ahrs.status = AHRS_RUNNING;
+void ahrs_sim_init(void)
+{
 }
diff --git a/sw/airborne/test/subsystems/test_ahrs.c b/sw/airborne/test/subsystems/test_ahrs.c
index 2b52e92f33..bd80c96c1e 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/test/subsystems/test_ahrs.c
+++ b/sw/airborne/test/subsystems/test_ahrs.c
@@ -110,11 +110,9 @@ static inline void on_gyro_event(void)
   AbiSendMsgIMU_GYRO_INT32(1, &now_ts, &imu.gyro_prev);
 
 #if USE_AHRS_ALIGNER
-  if (ahrs.status != AHRS_RUNNING) {
+  if (ahrs_aligner.status != AHRS_ALIGNER_LOCKED) {
     ahrs_aligner_run();
-    if (ahrs_aligner.status == AHRS_ALIGNER_LOCKED) {
-      ahrs.status = AHRS_RUNNING;
-    }
+    return;
   }
 #endif
 }