diff --git a/src/drivers/linux_pwm_out/linux_pwm_out.cpp b/src/drivers/linux_pwm_out/linux_pwm_out.cpp
index d3e0a30b8b..5cdd9d9a3d 100644
--- a/src/drivers/linux_pwm_out/linux_pwm_out.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/linux_pwm_out/linux_pwm_out.cpp
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ static void subscribe();
 
 static void task_main(int argc, char *argv[]);
 
-static void update_params(bool &airmode);
+static void update_params(int32_t &airmode);
 
 /* mixer initialization */
 int initialize_mixer(const char *mixer_filename);
@@ -135,15 +135,13 @@ int mixer_control_callback(uintptr_t handle,
 }
 
 
-void update_params(bool &airmode)
+void update_params(int32_t &airmode)
 {
 	// multicopter air-mode
 	param_t param_handle = param_find("MC_AIRMODE");
 
 	if (param_handle != PARAM_INVALID) {
-		int32_t val;
-		param_get(param_handle, &val);
-		airmode = val > 0;
+		param_get(param_handle, (int32_t *)&airmode);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -257,7 +255,7 @@ void task_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	// subscribe and set up polling
 	subscribe();
 
-	bool airmode = false;
+	int32_t airmode = false;
 	update_params(airmode);
 	int params_sub = orb_subscribe(ORB_ID(parameter_update));
 
diff --git a/src/drivers/pwm_out_sim/PWMSim.cpp b/src/drivers/pwm_out_sim/PWMSim.cpp
index 2771c974a6..83cb1f91e0 100644
--- a/src/drivers/pwm_out_sim/PWMSim.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/pwm_out_sim/PWMSim.cpp
@@ -146,9 +146,7 @@ void PWMSim::update_params()
 	param_t param_handle = param_find("MC_AIRMODE");
 
 	if (param_handle != PARAM_INVALID) {
-		int32_t val;
-		param_get(param_handle, &val);
-		_airmode = val > 0;
+		param_get(param_handle, &_airmode);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/drivers/pwm_out_sim/PWMSim.hpp b/src/drivers/pwm_out_sim/PWMSim.hpp
index 5804a466b0..f609f759a1 100644
--- a/src/drivers/pwm_out_sim/PWMSim.hpp
+++ b/src/drivers/pwm_out_sim/PWMSim.hpp
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ private:
 	actuator_controls_s _controls[actuator_controls_s::NUM_ACTUATOR_CONTROL_GROUPS] {};
 	orb_id_t	_control_topics[actuator_controls_s::NUM_ACTUATOR_CONTROL_GROUPS] {};
 
-	bool 	_airmode{false}; 	///< multicopter air-mode
+	int32_t 	_airmode{0}; 	///< multicopter air-mode
 
 	perf_counter_t	_perf_control_latency;
 
diff --git a/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp b/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp
index dba5ca3084..20b5ce3023 100644
--- a/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ private:
 
 	float _mot_t_max;	///< maximum rise time for motor (slew rate limiting)
 	float _thr_mdl_fac;	///< thrust to pwm modelling factor
-	bool _airmode; 		///< multicopter air-mode
+	int32_t _airmode;	///< multicopter air-mode
 	MotorOrdering _motor_ordering;
 
 	perf_counter_t	_perf_control_latency;
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ PX4FMU::PX4FMU(bool run_as_task) :
 	_to_mixer_status(nullptr),
 	_mot_t_max(0.0f),
 	_thr_mdl_fac(0.0f),
-	_airmode(false),
+	_airmode(0),
 	_motor_ordering(MotorOrdering::PX4),
 	_perf_control_latency(perf_alloc(PC_ELAPSED, "fmu control latency"))
 {
@@ -1195,7 +1195,7 @@ PX4FMU::cycle()
 					}
 				}
 
-				/* overwrite outputs in case of lockdown with disarmed PWM values */
+				/* overwrite outputs in case of lockdown or parachute triggering with disarmed PWM values */
 				if (_armed.lockdown || _armed.manual_lockdown) {
 					for (size_t i = 0; i < mixed_num_outputs; i++) {
 						pwm_limited[i] = _disarmed_pwm[i];
@@ -1382,10 +1382,7 @@ void PX4FMU::update_params()
 	param_handle = param_find("MC_AIRMODE");
 
 	if (param_handle != PARAM_INVALID) {
-		int32_t val;
-		param_get(param_handle, &val);
-		_airmode = val > 0;
-		PX4_DEBUG("%s: %d", "MC_AIRMODE", _airmode);
+		param_get(param_handle, &_airmode);
 	}
 
 	// motor ordering
diff --git a/src/drivers/snapdragon_pwm_out/snapdragon_pwm_out.cpp b/src/drivers/snapdragon_pwm_out/snapdragon_pwm_out.cpp
index f50059f681..d8fc74746b 100644
--- a/src/drivers/snapdragon_pwm_out/snapdragon_pwm_out.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/snapdragon_pwm_out/snapdragon_pwm_out.cpp
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ static void subscribe();
 
 static void task_main(int argc, char *argv[]);
 
-static void update_params(bool &airmode);
+static void update_params(int32_t &airmode);
 
 int initialize_mixer(const char *mixer_filename);
 
@@ -162,15 +162,13 @@ int mixer_control_callback(uintptr_t handle,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void update_params(bool &airmode)
+void update_params(int32_t &airmode)
 {
 	// multicopter air-mode
 	param_t param_handle = param_find("MC_AIRMODE");
 
 	if (param_handle != PARAM_INVALID) {
-		int32_t val;
-		param_get(param_handle, &val);
-		airmode = val > 0;
+		param_get(param_handle, &airmode);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -357,7 +355,7 @@ void task_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	// subscribe and set up polling
 	subscribe();
 
-	bool airmode = false;
+	int32_t airmode = 0;
 	update_params(airmode);
 	int params_sub = orb_subscribe(ORB_ID(parameter_update));
 
diff --git a/src/drivers/uavcan/uavcan_main.cpp b/src/drivers/uavcan/uavcan_main.cpp
index 478027765c..fbac9c4414 100644
--- a/src/drivers/uavcan/uavcan_main.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/uavcan/uavcan_main.cpp
@@ -428,9 +428,7 @@ void UavcanNode::update_params()
 	param_t param_handle = param_find("MC_AIRMODE");
 
 	if (param_handle != PARAM_INVALID) {
-		int32_t val;
-		param_get(param_handle, &val);
-		_airmode = val > 0;
+		param_get(param_handle, &_airmode);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/drivers/uavcan/uavcan_main.hpp b/src/drivers/uavcan/uavcan_main.hpp
index 17f1feb6f5..ed08cd0ed6 100644
--- a/src/drivers/uavcan/uavcan_main.hpp
+++ b/src/drivers/uavcan/uavcan_main.hpp
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ private:
 
 	perf_counter_t			_perf_control_latency;
 
-	bool 				_airmode = false;
+	int32_t 			_airmode = 0;
 
 	// index into _poll_fds for each _control_subs handle
 	uint8_t				_poll_ids[NUM_ACTUATOR_CONTROL_GROUPS_UAVCAN];
diff --git a/src/lib/mixer/mixer.h b/src/lib/mixer/mixer.h
index 7295a95d76..1b342d350f 100644
--- a/src/lib/mixer/mixer.h
+++ b/src/lib/mixer/mixer.h
@@ -221,9 +221,9 @@ public:
 	/**
 	 * @brief Set airmode. Airmode allows the mixer to increase the total thrust in order to unsaturate the motors.
 	 *
-	 * @param[in]  airmode   De/-activate airmode by setting it to false/true
+	 * @param[in]  airmode   Select airmode type (0 = disabled, 1 = roll/pitch, 2 = roll/pitch/yaw)
 	 */
-	virtual void set_airmode(bool airmode) {};
+	virtual void set_airmode(int32_t airmode) {};
 
 protected:
 	/** client-supplied callback used when fetching control values */
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ public:
 	 */
 	virtual void	set_thrust_factor(float val);
 
-	virtual void 	set_airmode(bool airmode);
+	virtual void 	set_airmode(uint32_t airmode);
 
 private:
 	Mixer				*_first;	/**< linked list of mixers */
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ public:
 	 */
 	virtual void			set_thrust_factor(float val) {_thrust_factor = val;}
 
-	virtual void 			set_airmode(bool airmode);
+	virtual void 			set_airmode(uint32_t airmode);
 
 	union saturation_status {
 		struct {
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ private:
 	float 				_delta_out_max;
 	float 				_thrust_factor;
 
-	bool                		_airmode;
+	uint32_t			_airmode;
 
 	void update_saturation_status(unsigned index, bool clipping_high, bool clipping_low);
 	saturation_status _saturation_status;
diff --git a/src/lib/mixer/mixer_group.cpp b/src/lib/mixer/mixer_group.cpp
index 200be683ba..9471a0ce8c 100644
--- a/src/lib/mixer/mixer_group.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/mixer/mixer_group.cpp
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ MixerGroup::set_thrust_factor(float val)
 }
 
 void
-MixerGroup::set_airmode(bool airmode)
+MixerGroup::set_airmode(int32_t airmode)
 {
 	Mixer	*mixer = _first;
 
diff --git a/src/lib/mixer/mixer_multirotor.cpp b/src/lib/mixer/mixer_multirotor.cpp
index a284656ea6..d4b79ecb29 100644
--- a/src/lib/mixer/mixer_multirotor.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/mixer/mixer_multirotor.cpp
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ MultirotorMixer::MultirotorMixer(ControlCallback control_cb,
 	_idle_speed(-1.0f + idle_speed * 2.0f),	/* shift to output range here to avoid runtime calculation */
 	_delta_out_max(0.0f),
 	_thrust_factor(0.0f),
-	_airmode(false),
+	_airmode(0),
 	_rotor_count(_config_rotor_count[(MultirotorGeometryUnderlyingType)geometry]),
 	_rotors(_config_index[(MultirotorGeometryUnderlyingType)geometry]),
 	_outputs_prev(new float[_rotor_count])
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ MultirotorMixer::mix(float *outputs, unsigned space)
 		boost = 1.0f - ((max_out - thrust) * roll_pitch_scale + thrust);
 	}
 
-	if (!_airmode) {
+	if (_airmode == 0) {
 		// disable positive boosting if not in air-mode
 		// boosting can only be positive when min_out < 0.0
 		// roll_pitch_scale is reduced accordingly
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ MultirotorMixer::update_saturation_status(unsigned index, bool clipping_high, bo
 }
 
 void
-MultirotorMixer::set_airmode(bool airmode)
+MultirotorMixer::set_airmode(int32_t airmode)
 {
 	_airmode = airmode;
 }
diff --git a/src/modules/mc_att_control/mc_att_control_params.c b/src/modules/mc_att_control/mc_att_control_params.c
index 5da8bae009..c74fb6c9fd 100644
--- a/src/modules/mc_att_control/mc_att_control_params.c
+++ b/src/modules/mc_att_control/mc_att_control_params.c
@@ -572,7 +572,11 @@ PARAM_DEFINE_FLOAT(MC_DTERM_CUTOFF, 30.f);
  * This function should be disabled during tuning as it will help the controller
  * to diverge if the closed-loop is unstable.
  *
- * @boolean
+ * 0 = Disabled, 1 = Roll/Pitch, 2 = Roll/Pitch/Yaw
+ *
+ * @min 0
+ * @max 2
+ * @decimal 0
  * @group Multicopter Attitude Control
  */
 PARAM_DEFINE_INT32(MC_AIRMODE, 0);
diff --git a/src/modules/px4iofirmware/protocol.h b/src/modules/px4iofirmware/protocol.h
index 8e6e425e35..13d30571a5 100644
--- a/src/modules/px4iofirmware/protocol.h
+++ b/src/modules/px4iofirmware/protocol.h
@@ -234,11 +234,12 @@ enum {							/* DSM bind states */
 
 #define PX4IO_P_SETUP_MOTOR_SLEW_MAX		24 	/* max motor slew rate */
 
-#define PX4IO_P_SETUP_AIRMODE 			27 	/* air-mode */
-
 #define PX4IO_P_SETUP_THR_MDL_FAC 		25	/* factor for modelling static pwm output to thrust relationship */
 
 #define PX4IO_P_SETUP_THERMAL			26	/* thermal management */
+
+#define PX4IO_P_SETUP_AIRMODE 			27 	/* air-mode */
+
 #define PX4IO_THERMAL_IGNORE			UINT16_MAX
 #define PX4IO_THERMAL_OFF			0
 #define PX4IO_THERMAL_FULL			10000