diff --git a/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_main.cpp b/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_main.cpp
index 271dc86079..579096268e 100644
--- a/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_main.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_main.cpp
@@ -202,6 +202,9 @@ private:
 		float man_roll_max;				/**< Max Roll in rad */
 		float man_pitch_max;			/**< Max Pitch in rad */
 
+		float flaps_scale;				/**< Scale factor for flaps */
+		float flaperon_scale;			/**< Scale factor for flaperons */
+
 		int vtol_type;					/**< VTOL type: 0 = tailsitter, 1 = tiltrotor */
 
 	}		_parameters;			/**< local copies of interesting parameters */
@@ -246,6 +249,9 @@ private:
 		param_t man_roll_max;
 		param_t man_pitch_max;
 
+		param_t flaps_scale;
+		param_t flaperon_scale;
+
 		param_t vtol_type;
 
 	}		_parameter_handles;		/**< handles for interesting parameters */
@@ -414,6 +420,9 @@ FixedwingAttitudeControl::FixedwingAttitudeControl() :
 	_parameter_handles.man_roll_max = param_find("FW_MAN_R_MAX");
 	_parameter_handles.man_pitch_max = param_find("FW_MAN_P_MAX");
 
+	_parameter_handles.flaps_scale = param_find("FW_FLAPS_SCL");
+	_parameter_handles.flaperon_scale = param_find("FW_FLAPERONS_SCL");
+
 	_parameter_handles.vtol_type = param_find("VT_TYPE");
 
 	/* fetch initial parameter values */
@@ -498,6 +507,9 @@ FixedwingAttitudeControl::parameters_update()
 	_parameters.man_roll_max = math::radians(_parameters.man_roll_max);
 	_parameters.man_pitch_max = math::radians(_parameters.man_pitch_max);
 
+	param_get(_parameter_handles.flaps_scale, &_parameters.flaps_scale);
+	param_get(_parameter_handles.flaperon_scale, &_parameters.flaperon_scale);
+
 	param_get(_parameter_handles.vtol_type, &_parameters.vtol_type);
 
 	/* pitch control parameters */
@@ -810,8 +822,20 @@ FixedwingAttitudeControl::task_main()
 			float flaps_control = 0.0f;
 
 			/* map flaps by default to manual if valid */
-			if (PX4_ISFINITE(_manual.flaps)) {
-				flaps_control = _manual.flaps;
+			if (PX4_ISFINITE(_manual.flaps) && _vcontrol_mode.flag_control_manual_enabled) {
+				flaps_control = _manual.flaps * _parameters.flaps_scale;
+			} else if (_vcontrol_mode.flag_control_auto_enabled) {
+				flaps_control = _att_sp.apply_flaps ? 1.0f * _parameters.flaps_scale : 0.0f;
+			}
+
+			/* default flaperon to center */
+			float flaperon = 0.0f;
+
+			/* map flaperons by default to manual if valid */
+			if (PX4_ISFINITE(_manual.aux2) && _vcontrol_mode.flag_control_manual_enabled) {
+				flaperon = _manual.aux2 * _parameters.flaperon_scale;
+			} else if (_vcontrol_mode.flag_control_auto_enabled) {
+				flaperon = _att_sp.apply_flaps ? 1.0f * _parameters.flaperon_scale : 0.0f;
 			}
 
 			/* decide if in stabilized or full manual control */
@@ -1119,7 +1143,7 @@ FixedwingAttitudeControl::task_main()
 
 			_actuators.control[actuator_controls_s::INDEX_FLAPS] = flaps_control;
 			_actuators.control[5] = _manual.aux1;
-			_actuators.control[6] = _manual.aux2;
+			_actuators.control[actuator_controls_s::INDEX_AIRBRAKES] = flaperon;
 			_actuators.control[7] = _manual.aux3;
 
 			/* lazily publish the setpoint only once available */
diff --git a/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_params.c b/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_params.c
index f4cfa7fd8d..41ca2edf44 100644
--- a/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_params.c
+++ b/src/modules/fw_att_control/fw_att_control_params.c
@@ -434,3 +434,21 @@ PARAM_DEFINE_FLOAT(FW_MAN_R_MAX, 45.0f);
  * @group FW Attitude Control
  */
 PARAM_DEFINE_FLOAT(FW_MAN_P_MAX, 45.0f);
+
+/**
+ * Scale factor for flaps
+ *
+ * @min 0.0
+ * @max 1.0
+ * @group FW Attitude Control
+ */
+PARAM_DEFINE_FLOAT(FW_FLAPS_SCL, 1.0f);
+
+/**
+ * Scale factor for flaperons
+ *
+ * @min 0.0
+ * @max 1.0
+ * @group FW Attitude Control
+ */
+PARAM_DEFINE_FLOAT(FW_FLAPERON_SCL, 0.0f);
diff --git a/src/modules/fw_pos_control_l1/fw_pos_control_l1_main.cpp b/src/modules/fw_pos_control_l1/fw_pos_control_l1_main.cpp
index 176d4ed11b..0727c718e0 100644
--- a/src/modules/fw_pos_control_l1/fw_pos_control_l1_main.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/fw_pos_control_l1/fw_pos_control_l1_main.cpp
@@ -1076,7 +1076,7 @@ FixedwingPositionControl::control_position(const math::Vector<2> &current_positi
 	bool setpoint = true;
 
 	_att_sp.fw_control_yaw = false;		// by default we don't want yaw to be contoller directly with rudder
-
+	_att_sp.apply_flaps = false;		// by default we don't use flaps
 	float eas2tas = 1.0f; // XXX calculate actual number based on current measurements
 
 	/* filter speed and altitude for controller */
@@ -1207,6 +1207,10 @@ FixedwingPositionControl::control_position(const math::Vector<2> &current_positi
 
 		} else if (pos_sp_triplet.current.type == position_setpoint_s::SETPOINT_TYPE_LAND) {
 
+			// apply full flaps for landings. this flag will also trigger the use of flaperons
+			// if they have been enabled using the corresponding parameter
+			_att_sp.apply_flaps = true;
+
 			float bearing_lastwp_currwp = get_bearing_to_next_waypoint(prev_wp(0), prev_wp(1), curr_wp(0), curr_wp(1));
 			float bearing_airplane_currwp = get_bearing_to_next_waypoint(current_position(0), current_position(1), curr_wp(0), curr_wp(1));