diff --git a/src/modules/commander/Commander.cpp b/src/modules/commander/Commander.cpp
index 2e22328dff207b8e047cf03899ce2eb2928cb4e7..bcf8b68972802eeff1792dc148d5dd1e2ade3b7b 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/Commander.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/Commander.cpp
@@ -1029,6 +1029,11 @@ Commander::handle_command(vehicle_status_s *status_local, const vehicle_command_
 		}
 		break;
 
+	case vehicle_command_s::VEHICLE_CMD_DO_ORBIT:
+		// Switch to orbit state and let the orbit task handle the command further
+		main_state_transition(*status_local, commander_state_s::MAIN_STATE_ORBIT, status_flags, &internal_state);
+		break;
+
 	case vehicle_command_s::VEHICLE_CMD_CUSTOM_0:
 	case vehicle_command_s::VEHICLE_CMD_CUSTOM_1:
 	case vehicle_command_s::VEHICLE_CMD_CUSTOM_2:
@@ -1060,7 +1065,6 @@ Commander::handle_command(vehicle_status_s *status_local, const vehicle_command_
 	case vehicle_command_s::VEHICLE_CMD_DO_SET_ROI_LOCATION:
 	case vehicle_command_s::VEHICLE_CMD_DO_SET_ROI_WPNEXT_OFFSET:
 	case vehicle_command_s::VEHICLE_CMD_DO_SET_ROI_NONE:
-	case vehicle_command_s::VEHICLE_CMD_DO_ORBIT:
 		/* ignore commands that are handled by other parts of the system */
 		break;
 
@@ -3400,6 +3404,20 @@ set_control_mode()
 
 		break;
 
+	case vehicle_status_s::NAVIGATION_STATE_ORBIT:
+		control_mode.flag_control_manual_enabled = false;
+		control_mode.flag_control_auto_enabled = false;
+		control_mode.flag_control_rates_enabled = true;
+		control_mode.flag_control_attitude_enabled = true;
+		control_mode.flag_control_rattitude_enabled = false;
+		control_mode.flag_control_altitude_enabled = true;
+		control_mode.flag_control_climb_rate_enabled = true;
+		control_mode.flag_control_position_enabled = !status.in_transition_mode;
+		control_mode.flag_control_velocity_enabled = !status.in_transition_mode;
+		control_mode.flag_control_acceleration_enabled = false;
+		control_mode.flag_control_termination_enabled = false;
+		break;
+
 	default:
 		break;
 	}
diff --git a/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp b/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp
index 89dc1c52932219182de84557c232b6fd92c6cf71..d2d3bba5f3d20568866486eb194983c1075e77d5 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp
@@ -294,8 +294,9 @@ main_state_transition(const vehicle_status_s &status, const main_state_t new_mai
 		break;
 
 	case commander_state_s::MAIN_STATE_AUTO_FOLLOW_TARGET:
+	case commander_state_s::MAIN_STATE_ORBIT:
 
-		/* FOLLOW only implemented in MC */
+		/* Follow and orbit only implemented for multicopter */
 		if (status.is_rotary_wing) {
 			ret = TRANSITION_CHANGED;
 		}
@@ -586,6 +587,19 @@ bool set_nav_state(vehicle_status_s *status, actuator_armed_s *armed, commander_
 
 		break;
 
+	case commander_state_s::MAIN_STATE_ORBIT:
+		/* require local position */
+		if (status->engine_failure) {
+			status->nav_state = vehicle_status_s::NAVIGATION_STATE_AUTO_LANDENGFAIL;
+
+		} else if (is_armed && check_invalid_pos_nav_state(status, old_failsafe, mavlink_log_pub, status_flags, false, false)) {
+			// nothing to do - everything done in check_invalid_pos_nav_state
+
+		} else {
+			status->nav_state = vehicle_status_s::NAVIGATION_STATE_ORBIT;
+		}
+		break;
+
 	case commander_state_s::MAIN_STATE_AUTO_TAKEOFF:
 
 		/* require local position */