This updated preview introduces Dronesitter Sim’s adjustable PID flight control model and PID curve. It allows pilots not only to adjust the surface feel, but also to observe how proportional, integral and differential control affect attitude following, continuous deviation and damping, thereby establishing a set of repeatable simulator settings with an idea closer to real machine parameter adjustment.
What the PID terms do in a simulated flight controller
P (proportional) corrects the current error immediately and usually directly affects how strongly the controller follows the target. I (integral) accumulates error over time to resist persistent disturbances or maintain the target. D (derivative) responds to how the error changes, adding damping and reducing overshoot. The three terms interact; none should be understood as simply a “sensitivity” setting.
PID in the simulator aims to make the response more like a real flight controller, but its values may not transfer directly to a real aircraft. Motors, propellers, weight, filtering, and vibration on a real build all affect the safe tuning range. This is better suited to learning which direction to adjust and comparing how the aircraft feels than to generating settings ready to flash onto a drone.
Using PID plots without tuning blindly
Plots help you see the gap between the target input and actual response, such as slow tracking, overshoot, or oscillation after the sticks return to center. Save the defaults first and keep the aircraft, Rates, and test maneuver fixed. Adjust only one parameter on one axis, make a small change, and repeat the same input so you can relate the plot changes to what you feel.
Do not change P, I, D, and Rates together. Rates define the mapping from stick position to target angular velocity; PID determines how the flight controller follows that target. Changing both at once makes the results difficult to interpret. Record the old values, the size of each change, the plots, and your impressions so you can quickly return to the baseline if the result is unsatisfactory.
The limits of transferring simulator training to a real drone
A simulator lets you safely understand concepts such as sluggish response, overshoot, and oscillation, and compare how different tuning strategies affect flight lines. It cannot reproduce the structural resonances, noise, and electrical limits of every real drone. For real-aircraft tuning, follow the flight-controller documentation, test progressively, and watch motor temperatures and abnormal vibration.
Operation steps
- Save the default baseline
Record the current PID values, aircraft, and Rates so you can restore them at any time.
- Keep the test maneuver fixed
Choose a repeatable roll, pitch, or yaw input and observe the target and response plots.
- Make a small change to one parameter at a time
Change only one P, I, or D term on one axis, repeat the same maneuver, and record the plots and how the aircraft feels.
- Check several flight conditions
Recheck while hovering, turning quickly, and returning the sticks to center. Do not draw conclusions from a single successful maneuver.
FAQ
Can I copy PID values from the simulator directly to a real drone?
It is not recommended. Real drones have different motors, propellers, weight, filtering, and vibration conditions. Simulator values primarily support understanding and comparison.
What is the difference between PID and Rates?
Rates define the target rotation speed for a given stick position; PID determines how the flight controller follows that target. Adjust them separately.
Why change only one parameter at a time?
This lets you trace changes in the plots and handling to a clear cause and makes it easier to restore the settings if the result gets worse.
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