diff --git a/dimos/robot/drone/connection_module.py b/dimos/robot/drone/connection_module.py
index 8591d3edc3..21e9b89855 100644
--- a/dimos/robot/drone/connection_module.py
+++ b/dimos/robot/drone/connection_module.py
@@ -172,12 +172,17 @@ def _store_and_publish_frame(self, frame: Image) -> None:
 
     def _publish_tf(self, msg: PoseStamped) -> None:
         """Publish odometry and TF transforms."""
-        self._odom = msg
+        self._odom = PoseStamped(
+            position=Vector3(msg.position.x, msg.position.y, 0.0),
+            orientation=msg.orientation,
+            frame_id=msg.frame_id,
+            ts=msg.ts,
+        )
 
-        # Publish odometry
-        self.odom.publish(msg)
+        nav_msg = self._odom
+        self.odom.publish(nav_msg)
 
-        # Publish base_link transform
+        # Keep real z for TF so Rerun draws the drone at correct altitude
         base_link = Transform(
             translation=msg.position,
             rotation=msg.orientation,
@@ -187,10 +192,10 @@ def _publish_tf(self, msg: PoseStamped) -> None:
         )
         self.tf.publish(base_link)
 
-        # Publish camera_link transform (camera mounted on front of drone, no gimbal factored in yet)
+        # Camera mounted on front of drone, no gimbal factored in yet
         camera_link = Transform(
-            translation=Vector3(0.1, 0.0, -0.05),  # 10cm forward, 5cm down
-            rotation=Quaternion(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0),  # No rotation relative to base
+            translation=Vector3(0.1, 0.0, -0.05),
+            rotation=Quaternion(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0),
             frame_id="base_link",
             child_frame_id="camera_link",
             ts=time.time(),