diff --git a/clover/launch/aruco.launch b/clover/launch/aruco.launch
index 87cfd9ac..75f8165e 100644
--- a/clover/launch/aruco.launch
+++ b/clover/launch/aruco.launch
@@ -8,8 +8,11 @@
 
     <!-- For additional help go to https://clover.coex.tech/aruco -->
 
+    <arg name="force_init" default="false"/>
+    <arg name="disable" default="false"/> <!-- only force init -->
+
     <!-- aruco_detect: detect aruco markers, estimate poses -->
-    <node name="aruco_detect" pkg="nodelet" if="$(arg aruco_detect)" type="nodelet" args="load aruco_pose/aruco_detect main_camera_nodelet_manager" output="screen" clear_params="true" respawn="true">
+    <node name="aruco_detect" pkg="nodelet" if="$(eval aruco_detect and not disable)" type="nodelet" args="load aruco_pose/aruco_detect main_camera_nodelet_manager" output="screen" clear_params="true" respawn="true">
         <remap from="image_raw" to="main_camera/image_raw"/>
         <remap from="camera_info" to="main_camera/camera_info"/>
         <remap from="map_markers" to="aruco_map/markers"/>
@@ -26,7 +29,7 @@
     </node>
 
     <!-- aruco_map: estimate aruco map pose -->
-    <node name="aruco_map" pkg="nodelet" type="nodelet" if="$(arg aruco_map)" args="load aruco_pose/aruco_map main_camera_nodelet_manager" output="screen" clear_params="true" respawn="true">
+    <node name="aruco_map" pkg="nodelet" type="nodelet" if="$(eval aruco_map and not disable)" args="load aruco_pose/aruco_map main_camera_nodelet_manager" output="screen" clear_params="true" respawn="true">
         <remap from="image_raw" to="main_camera/image_raw"/>
         <remap from="camera_info" to="main_camera/camera_info"/>
         <remap from="markers" to="aruco_detect/markers"/>
@@ -41,11 +44,11 @@
     </node>
 
     <!-- vpe publisher from aruco markers -->
-    <node name="vpe_publisher" pkg="clover" type="vpe_publisher" if="$(arg aruco_vpe)" output="screen" clear_params="true">
-        <remap from="~pose_cov" to="aruco_map/pose"/>
+    <node name="vpe_publisher" pkg="clover" type="vpe_publisher" if="$(eval aruco_vpe or force_init)" output="screen" clear_params="true">
+        <remap from="~pose_cov" to="aruco_map/pose" if="$(arg aruco_vpe)"/>
         <remap from="~vpe" to="mavros/vision_pose/pose"/>
-        <param name="frame_id" value="aruco_map_detected"/>
-        <param name="force_init" value="true"/>
+        <param name="frame_id" value="aruco_map_detected" if="$(arg aruco_vpe)"/>
+        <param name="force_init" value="$(arg force_init)"/>
         <param name="offset_frame_id" value="aruco_map"/>
     </node>
 </launch>
diff --git a/clover/launch/clover.launch b/clover/launch/clover.launch
index bbf77e8b..58a05f3e 100644
--- a/clover/launch/clover.launch
+++ b/clover/launch/clover.launch
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     <arg name="led" default="true"/>
     <arg name="blocks" default="false"/>
     <arg name="rc" default="false"/>
+    <arg name="force_init" value="true"/> <!-- force estimator to init by publishing zero pose -->
 
     <arg name="simulator" default="false"/> <!-- flag that we are operating on a simulated drone -->
 
@@ -33,7 +34,10 @@
     </node>
 
     <!-- aruco markers -->
-    <include file="$(find clover)/launch/aruco.launch" if="$(arg aruco)"/>
+    <include file="$(find clover)/launch/aruco.launch" if="$(eval aruco or force_init)">
+        <arg name="force_init" value="$(arg force_init)"/>
+        <arg name="disable" value="$(eval not aruco)"/>
+    </include>
 
     <!-- optical flow -->
     <node pkg="nodelet" type="nodelet" name="optical_flow" args="load clover/optical_flow main_camera_nodelet_manager" if="$(arg optical_flow)" clear_params="true" output="screen" respawn="true">