Know How... 138: Towers Time Forgot, PID...

Learn about the Microwave Radio Relay Skyawy, RasOSMC is awesome, PID settings for your quadcopter, eBook reader that's not a Kindle, getting NAT'ed by your ISP, and a map of no drone fly drones.

Let's talk PID

P = "Proportional Gain Coefficient"

• P addresses the algorithm responsible for balancing the input from the pilot with the data from the sensors.
  • It "wants" to level the sensors
  • A higher P setting makes the craft more reactive to angular change
  • A lower P setting will make the craft most "sluggish" and less apt to "snap" back to level

The takeaway is that the higher your P setting, the more your FC will fight to keep the craft level. If your P is too high, you'll typically see oscillations in the craft as the controller constantly overcorrects its angle to level.

I = "Integral Gain Coefficient"

• I addresses the algorithm responsible for balancing the corrections from P... over time.
  • It wants to "spread out" the corrections that the P value is pushing through the FC
  • A higher I setting will stretch out the corrections from P over a longer period of time
  • A lower I setting will enact the P corrections quickly

The takeaway is that the higher the I settings, the more smoothly your craft will move

• If your craft wobbles during descent, your I setting is too low.
• If your craft wobbles during punch-out, your I setting is too high.

D = "Derivative Gain Coefficient"

• D is the algorithm that softens the corrections from P
  • It wants to "smooth out" the corrections that the P value is pushing through the FC
  • At a higher setting, it will reduce the input the P value has on the FC as it gets closer to level

The takeaway is that we don't use D.

If you want acro:

• High P
• Low I
• Increased D

If you want smooth and stable:

• Low P
• High I
• Less D

The process for tuning is simple, but can take some time.

1. Set I & D to "0" (If you're using a KK, you don't have D settings)
2. Set P to 20 and fly the craft.
3. If it flies smoothly, increase P by 10 and fly the craft
4. Repeat step 3 until you start noticing high-frequency oscilations
5. Back off your P settings by 10. You now have your ideal P setting
6. Set I to 20 and fly the craft
7. Practice descent
8. If it wobbles, increase I - then repeat descent
9. Repeat step 8

Hosts: Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ and Bryan Burnett

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