From this point onward, using PID-Toolbox is mandatory. The program used to be free, but since mid-2024 it can only be downloaded via a Patreon membership (starting at $4/month). In my opinion, anyone who wants to use this software and can spare the price of a coffee should support the immense work Brian White put into it by purchasing at least a one-month membership.

https://www.patreon.com/ThePIDtoolboxGuy

Before you start PID tuning, a few things must be considered:

• Filter settings should be good enough that no spikes appear in the light green area in Blackbox Explorer.
• Physical inspection: Check all screws, mounts, and the overall frame integrity.
• The drone must be in the same state as it will be flown in 95% of cases. This means:
  • If you plan to fly with an extra camera, it must be mounted during tuning.
  • Pilots who usually fly in concrete-heavy environments and often have slightly worn propellers should use similarly worn propellers for tuning. Tuning with fresh props and then flying with slightly damaged ones could result in a fly-away.

In short: the quad must be tuned as it will actually be flown.

Next, connect the drone to Betaflight Configurator, go to the PID Tuning tab, and enable Expert Mode (top right). This exposes more sliders. Move the following sliders all the way to the left: Stick Sensitivity, Dynamic Damping, and Drift Wobble. Set Damping to 0.4. Log flights for PD balance and the main multiplier are performed in Angle Mode, so enable that mode and set RC Rate to 1, with all others at 0.

For these flights, the copter is only wobbled forward, backward, left, and right. Lift off quickly and perform at least 10 full stick deflections on both Pitch and Roll. Hold the stick firmly and make sure it doesn’t snap back to center—otherwise, the data is unusable. If you’re flying with a digital VTx, reduce its power to the lowest setting to prevent overheating during testing. Analog VTx can be set to the lowest power via Betaflight. Finally, ensure Blackbox is activated and empty, the Blackbox mode is enabled simultaneously with arming, and the ADC filters on your transmitter are off. Then you’re ready!

Setting P-D Balance

The ratio of P to D is the most important setting when tuning. Too much P causes overshoot in the step response, which can be counteracted by increasing D. The heavier and more sluggish the quad, the higher the P value must be to compensate for the weight. For a 5-inch drone, a slider value of 1.0 is usually sufficient. For 7-inch drones: 1.2–1.3, 10-inch: 1.4–1.5. For this guide, we assume a 5-inch drone.

To find the optimal P-D ratio, start with a D slider value of 0.4. Perform a test wobble, increase D by 0.2, and repeat the wobble. The easiest way to adjust D is via the OSD menu (if set up). In the disarmed state, access it with Yaw-left, throttle-mid, Pitch-up. Navigate to Profile → Simplified Tuning, adjust D-Gains as in Betaflight, then save and reboot. This generates a new log, making analysis easier because each log corresponds to a specific slider setting.

If your FC has Bluetooth, you can also adjust via the SpeedyBee app and restart the FC in the Motors tab. Cable connections to the PC also work but are slower.

After each wobble, check motor temperatures and increase the D slider until either:

• Motors become too hot to touch, or
• The copter sounds different during arming than in previous tests.

"Sounds different" means the motors no longer spin evenly at the same RPM. Be alert for whistle-like vibrations during wobbles—land immediately and inspect logs.