diff --git a/EKF/common.h b/EKF/common.h
index 8a8dea0436..d0090cc423 100644
--- a/EKF/common.h
+++ b/EKF/common.h
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ struct parameters {
 
         float gps_vel_noise = 5.0e-1f;      // observation noise for gps velocity fusion
         float gps_pos_noise = 1.0f;         // observation noise for gps position fusion
+        float pos_noaid_noise = 10.0f;      // observation noise for non-aiding position fusion
         float baro_noise = 3.0f;            // observation noise for barometric height fusion
         float baro_innov_gate = 3.0f;       // barometric height innovation consistency gate size in standard deviations
         float posNE_innov_gate = 3.0f;      // GPS horizontal position innovation consistency gate size in standard deviations
diff --git a/EKF/vel_pos_fusion.cpp b/EKF/vel_pos_fusion.cpp
index ac378fe730..aef41ee149 100644
--- a/EKF/vel_pos_fusion.cpp
+++ b/EKF/vel_pos_fusion.cpp
@@ -84,7 +84,12 @@ void Ekf::fuseVelPosHeight()
 		_vel_pos_innov[3] = _state.pos(0) - _gps_sample_delayed.pos(0);
 		_vel_pos_innov[4] = _state.pos(1) - _gps_sample_delayed.pos(1);
         // observation variance - user parameter defined
-        R[3] = fmaxf(_params.gps_pos_noise, 0.01f);
+        // if we are in flight and not using GPS, then use a specific parameter
+        if (!_control_status.flags.gps && _control_status.flags.in_air) {
+            R[3] = fmaxf(_params.pos_noaid_noise, 0.5f);
+        } else {
+            R[3] = fmaxf(_params.gps_pos_noise, 0.01f);
+        }
         R[3] = R[3] * R[3];
         R[4] = R[3];
         // innovation gate sizes