Originally Posted by Peter Seddon

PID values can vary dependent on prop diameter/pitch, number of cells, motor Kv, prop to prop distance, overall weight, response of ESC to input changes to name but a few.

Peter

Based on what I'd read I couldn't see how they could possibly be transportable from one set of components to another unless they were all very similar. It seems although there might be a range of default values which are fine for some of the larger frames, mine is outside that range.
I think I'll relocate my receiver and keep a fiddlin'...

Thanks for the confirmation though.

One more thing, flashing the original 1.24 firmware will reset all PIDs I guess? Or are those values stored in a separate memory area?
Thanks.

Thanks Timecop and Snapper, very clear.

I guess HMC5883L orientation on the frame is important.
- Do I have to align it in the same direction as the FF, head of the multirotor?
- Is it enough to stick the board somewhere with Velcro?

Yes, mag orientation is important.
Note the marking dot on the chip, and mount the breakout board so it points same way as in the picture. You can put the mag breakout anywhere, but it should be far away from strong magnetic fields (i.e. don't put it next to a motor on one of the arms).

T,
Yes. Normally the default PID values are for known working motor/prop/ESC and frame combinations that have been tested to work on multicopters. Your 16cm diameter is much smaller than the 23cm in the default FF PID utility settings so you would need to increase your proportional values and possibly decrease your integral values slightly from those defaults. What props are you using? What is the total flying weight? What ESCs are you using? Standard ESCs will not work well with any PID settings with that small and probably light setup with 2200Kv motors. Look into purchasing or DIY SimonK fast PWM ESCs. Doing that will be the best factor in stability improvements on such a small diameter multicopter..
Cheers,
Jim
Quadrocopter and Tricopter Info Mega Link Index

Originally Posted by thwaitm

I had to mess about with PID settings before I could even get mine to fly at all.
Is it because I'm using a small (165mm shaft to shaft diagonal) frame or + config?
Are you guys in + or x config?

I'm also running a 2S setup due to high (2200) KV motors.

Are the PID values actually specific to each quad frame/motor/battery system?
The defaults appear to be just fine for a larger diagonal but were un-flyable for mine.

I also think that my R_P_Stick_P value is too high. I can fly using 50% TX dual rates but at 100% the slightest movement more than a whisker causes the quad to react and then oscillate like mad.

I feel like I'm getting there but it's a long process, partly because I must unscrew the receiver plate in order to connect the USB\serial board cable.

Found a new baselflight including Inflight Acc Calib and more. Will try it .
Thx TC!

Originally Posted by timecop

Yes, mag orientation is important.
Note the marking dot on the chip, and mount the breakout board so it points same way as in the picture. You can put the mag breakout anywhere, but it should be far away from strong magnetic fields (i.e. don't put it next to a motor on one of the arms).

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by jesolins

T,
Yes. Normally the default PID values are for known working motor/prop/ESC and frame combinations that have been tested to work on multicopters. Your 16cm diameter is much smaller than the 23cm in the default FF PID utility settings so you would need to increase your proportional values and possibly decrease your integral values slightly from those defaults. What props are you using? What is the total flying weight? What ESCs are you using? Standard ESCs will not work well with any PID settings with that small and probably light setup with 2200Kv motors. Look into purchasing or DIY SimonK fast PWM ESCs. Doing that will be the best factor in stability improvements on such a small diameter multicopter..
Cheers,
Jim
Quadrocopter and Tricopter Info Mega Link Index

Thanks for that detailed reply.

I'm using cheap as chips RCTimer 6A ESCs http://rctimer.com/index.php?gOo=goo...6&productname=

I actually had to drop P and D to improve stability to a point where I can fly and if I increase I it tries almost too hard to level.

Props are 92mm 3 blade from infinityhobby.
All up flight weight is ~230g with 1200mAh 2S. I have ideas how to remove ~20g but the motors, RX, battery make up most the weight.

I shall check the availability of smaller SimonKs and see if it's going to be worthwhile.
I'll report back with my experiences later. Thanks again.

I'm still having problems with sensor drift over time. Yesterday was low humidity and 75 degrees outside. I would take off and hover hands-free easily, but about 2 minutes of flight later I found myself holding left on the stick to keep it in a hover. I can trim it in but it makes the quad erratic. Prior to flight it was sitting in my car in ambient temperature for about an hour and a half.

Is there anything else I can do to limit sensor drift? Isolating with ferrous cores or something? It is powered off the main battery pack.

Originally Posted by Edmack

I was in the bathroom (loo to some)and had an eppifinay, just a small one
Edmack

The best ideas are thought of in the bathroom (loo) while on the throne.

Originally Posted by snapper1234

cabling for BMP085 and HMC5883 connection to the FF controller.
Now who does not understand .....

http://www.ebay.de/itm/180832840925

http://www.ebay.de/itm/160640476451

But which wire goes CCW? ha ha ha ha ha ha

Originally Posted by Judar

I just got this board from goodluckbuy.com, shipped fast and arrived compete.

Set it up on my quad in 20min, software was easy to use.
(mine came with v1.24 of the firmware)

Did the calibrations and plugged it all in, set off and OMFG... this board is insane.
I have only ever used KK boards on my quad and switching to this has blown my mind. i pretty much feel like im cheating when i fly with this board. stabilization works great.straight off the bat i could fly hands off.

This is such a good buy, i would recommend it to anyone whos coming from kk boards and wants something with stabilization.

That sounds exactly like what I want. Can you activate stability mode via tx when you get into trouble? I heard running it all the time is good for hover, but makes smooth flight (ie video) difficult as it fights stick inputs?

J,
I increased R*P_P to 30, I to 5 and left D as 20, decreased R+P_Stick_P to 1, I to 10.
Now pretty stable, still wobbles slightly under some conditions but totally flyable.
Thanks for your hints.

Originally Posted by xcopter

Found a new baselflight including Inflight Acc Calib and more. Will try it .
Thx TC!

File already offline. New baseflight 20120119 without Inflight Acc Cal, and other.
Any issues emerged? Mine started endless beeping after reboot in terminal

What file is offline? endless beeping w/flashing leds = i2c error, power down and see if it works. Latest version works (for me).

baseflight 2012011 with Inflight Acc Cal, Motor_stop, ...

current version looks downgraded.
Had to flash again because of beeping and found downgraded version online.
Now, its running