[bryman021]

OK so I am ready to try some PID tuning. I have a HMF totem 250q, emax 2204 2300kv motors, emax 12a blheli esc,  gemfan 5030 nylon props, turnigy nanotech 1300mah 3s lipo 45-90c, flysky fs-i6 TX/RX. Full size cc3d mounted ran thru the wizard and it flies fairly well with the librepilot default pid settings.

I do however have oscillations and I want to hopefully tune them out. Based on what I've read I think the default p for roll/pitch might be too high?  Maybe for yaw too?  So before I start changing numbers I wanted to get some input.

Do I leave the default values for I and D or set them to zero and then work on p?  Then after p is set work on I, and what about d?  Some info says d stays at zero for quads others say use it?

Also when making changes how much of an increment is generally used, going from 300 to 290 or from 300 to 250 or from 300 to 299…  I know this value is a decimal I just left it out...
Also I am going to use the advanced tab within stabilization tab to set/change values.

Where would you suggest I start?
I know I can use txPID also and might try that too, but still researching how to do that. 

[TheOtherCliff]

I usually change something by about 20% to get a feel for it.

Be aware that you should start by telling the GCS to configure your FC to run the ESC's at the highest update rate they can support.  (Recalibrate ESC's afterward.)  That alone may get rid of your oscillations.

I suggest using 1/2xdefault for a min and 2xdefault for a max when doing TxPID, unless you already know that default is too high or low...  I am talking about default values here, not the values you got by using someone else's settings.

I suggest that you search for EasyTune on the wiki or for OPTune in the forum or Internet or search for TxPID unless you are already familiar with PID tuning with other projects.

[NicholasDavid]

I like to start with the defaults and tune the old school way. Change fly land change fly land change fly ect.

 So I setup 3 "flight modes", all rate mode, and use the basic tab for all three. So I've got 3 banks all the same rates,expo, TPA ect. Make one bank the default and move one bank up 20-30% and one bank down the same amount. Then I fly it and see how It goes, switching between banks and see what happens. I make large changes(20-30%) in the basic tab and see what thoes values do. And keep going. Once I start to see weather I need to go up or down, I go into the advanced tab and finish tuning in that tab.

 Every time I land and adjust I adjust all 3 banks up or down depending on what I need and which PID I'm working on. I keep them all no more than 20 away from each other, so like 230-250-270. And keep tuning till I'm starting to get close then I drop the number only 10 apart 240-250-260. And keep going from there. I've got a whole process, but it works. I can usually have a copter that handles pretty well in about 2-4 batteries.

I also like to start by turning the D down to 10-15 instead of whatever default is.

You kind of want to tune P and I sort of at the same time. "I" Can, and most likely will,be double or more than your P gain. After P and I feel/look good then you can start adding D back in to smooth it out and really get that locked in feel.

That's how I do it and I'm pretty pleased with the results. I've never tried the txpid or easy tune.  I just researched and researched people's PIDs and tuning PIDs. Similar setups and their PIDs and eventually realized that tuning is not really that hard and just changing numbers and seeing what they do really helps you understand it better.