Hello guest, if you read this it means you are not registered. Click here to register in a few simple steps, you will enjoy all features of our Forum.
This forum uses cookies
This forum makes use of cookies to store your login information if you are registered, and your last visit if you are not. Cookies are small text documents stored on your computer; the cookies set by this forum can only be used on this website and pose no security risk. Cookies on this forum also track the specific topics you have read and when you last read them. Please confirm whether you accept or reject these cookies being set.

A cookie will be stored in your browser regardless of choice to prevent you being asked this question again. You will be able to change your cookie settings at any time using the link in the footer.

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
New to PID Tuning
#1
I am new to PID tuning and really don't know where to begin.  I have read and watched a ton of videos explaining the concept of PIDs, but I don't know how to interpret the obvious and extremely bad flying of my quad into an adjustment.  P up or down, D up or down, is this a low frequency oscillation or a high frequency?  I took a video of my quadcopter flying and a screen shot of the current settings.  I don't have data logging yet (an external logger is in the mail).  But the machine flies so badly I would like to see it smoother before I start trying to record a data log; I can barely get it off the ground and landed it oscillates so badly.  Can someone take a WAG at what I should change first and the increment.

Current Beta Flight PID Settings
BetaFlight Screenshot

Video
Quadcopter Behaving Badly

HobbyKing Hercules 500mm Frame
Sky 4 in 1 30amp ESC BLHeli
CC3D Flight Controller
AX-2810Q-750KV Motors
Propeller 12x6 Carbon Fiber
Reply
Login to remove this ad | Register Here
#2
PID tuning is very subjective and one persons preference may not be another's. In fact, you may have two exact same quads with totally different PIDs required. but in looking at your screenshot in general I can make a couple observations. I would try lowering both P & I on both pitch and roll, with roll 5 or 6 points lower than pitch (maybe start with Pitch at 55 and Roll at 50). Also looks like your D is too low, I go with the 75% rule when starting a tune (ex: if P=55, try D=40 approx.)

Take this all with a grain of salt as all these numbers are based on what I've experienced in tuning a 220-250 sized frame, and I notice that yours is a 500mm, so I'd expect the #s to be slightly higher.........
Reply
#3
You've only see basic PIDs on this screen, if you click on "Show all PIDs" button on top-right you will also see the PIDs used for level mode.

What you could do is to disable the level mode and see if the quad hovers nicely, be cautious though - I don't know if you are familiar with flying in acro mode, that can be dangerous on bigger rigs. That would mean that those basic PIDs are OK and you should really take a look into the PIDs used for level modes.
Find me on Youtube and Instagram. I currently fly: DRC Aura, NOX5R, Minimalist 112 and drive a scrap RC car
Reply
#4
I repeatedly read from other users that betaflight is a pain for larger birds... I don't really know what the problem is but betaflight seems heavily optimized for smaller (i.e. 5") quads.

Few tipps (some already mentioned above)
- try acro (no autolevel modes), makes finding PID related issues much easier
- lower dterm setpoint and dterm transition sliders (makes PID behaviour much smoother)
- when increasing D, only do short hover tests and check motor temperature

If everything fails, you might think about using iNav instead - from what i hear it works much better for large quads.
[-] The following 1 user Likes fftunes's post:
  • RENOV8R
Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Rate tuning B4tn 3 386 24-May-2023, 05:02 PM
Last Post: Rob3ddd
  PID Tuning Guide Oscar 5 26,806 03-May-2023, 12:06 AM
Last Post: hugnosed_bat
  Help High Elevation Builds / Tuning blanco 1 549 21-Sep-2020, 03:26 AM
Last Post: blanco
  Pid Tuning help needed - D oscillation mld 2 1,896 21-Apr-2019, 07:20 AM
Last Post: mld
  Quad Shaking.. PID Problem ? w3njember 5 1,314 18-Aug-2018, 05:24 AM
Last Post: w3njember


Login to remove this ad | Register Here