Post the parameter file. Those screenshots don’t show everything.
Here are my parameters.
1402 motors, about 8000kv.
2s batteries.
3" 2 blade props.
135mm frame.
Total Weight (including battery) is 183 grams
I actually have to almost double the PID’s I get w/ autotune… Autotune leaves my copter feeling sluggish and sloppy. Unflyable for the stuff I do (flying fast though trees and down trails in woods, etc… Tight spaces). Higher PID’s really tightens it up and gets it under control for me.
I have never had an issue w/ the motors heating up… but again, 2s batteries. I could definitely see twice the voltage heating things up, like for those using 4s batteries.
But, if your copter is shaking, I’d also recommend lower PID’s like everyone else is saying.
However, there is a point where too low of PID’s causes it to shake too… Although I’d call it more of a wobble than a shake… It’s slower, like 2hz, while too high PID’s can cause it to vibrate sometimes up in the audio range, so over 20hz.
I’m running master from about a month ago (Copter 4.0)… Some of the parameters will not be valid for copter 3.6.
z3bOct19.param (19.7 KB)
Thanks Dave! This is my full parameters list
Quad X 95mm, 1104 7500Kv, 2" props triblade, 2s 450mA
toad90 full list.param (13.8 KB)
Thanks wicked1, I could also switch to copter 4.0 if it worked correctly even on the 90mm.
You will need to set AUTOTUNE_MIN_D to something much lower to get a tune.
I would switch on INS_FAST_SAMPLE
MOT_SPIN_ARM should be non-zero
I would set SCHED_LOOP_RATE to 800
But yes, I would try 4.0 at this point - I think it might give you better results.
And reduce ATC_RAT_YAW_P
I tried the 4.0 dev with the parameters of wicked1 but you don’t arm by removing all the arming checks. I put back the 3.6 without removing the parameters of the 4.0 but it does not fly drags forward. I do not know what to do 
I suggest you switch to old school PID tuning. This involves carefully holding it in your hand and adjust parameters while moving the copter around. Details can be found here: https://diydrones.com/forum/topics/arducopter-tuning-guide.
And finally the flight !! 
With fw 3.6 and with these PIDs.
I also changed these parameters:
NS_GYRO_FILTER = 80
INS_ACCEL_FILTER = 10
MOT_THST_EXPO = 0.5
ATC_RAT_RLL_FILT = 40
ATC_RAT_PIT_FILT = 40
SCHED_LOOP_RATE = 800
Now it remains a slight shaking, but at least it is controllable. What could I try to eliminate the flicker!
Can you fly in AltHold? If you can then use autotune - it will make things much better
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I haven’t tried it yet. but I’ll do it
I try … alt hold dont’t work … loses altitude
The baro is protec with the foam
You have to know your thrust hover value, if for example you have MOT_THST_HOVER=0.35 then you have to set:
PSC_ACCZ_I=0.7
PSC_ACCZ_P=0.35
this is from the wiki page:
http://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/tuning-process-instructions.html
First of all I would like to thank everyone who post in this thread that Wicked has started. I find it to be the most informative reference for building f4 nano Micro Arducopter on the internet. I read it over and over.
This tuning coversesation is very timely for me as I am preparing for maiden first flight of 3" Iflight IH3 with 1105 4500kv on 3s(850Mah), Split cam and m8q gps.
Currently I have Wicked’s parameters from post# 475 on May 4th loaded. When comparing these on the extended tuning screen to andyp1per recent post there seems to be fairly significant differences.
Must admit I am not to crazy about switching to 4.0 master just yet, as I haven’t even installed props .
My flight style would be closer to Wicked’s video than blasting through trees in acro. However, it didn’t really show attitude in takeoff and descent.
So with great gratitude I would like to ask for anyone or everyone to share there latest full parameter file for the safest and most uneventful first flight.
I truly appreciate the time and frustration pid tuning takes.
Thank you again for this great thread wicked1.
1 Like
Hi, thanks for the kind words.
A LOT has changed since May… My latest parameters I posted yesterday are the best flying I’ve had w/ my little copter. And I’m almost positive even that May one was on Master… which was called 3.7 at the time… I don’t think I’ve ever had the official 3.6 release on my micro copters. (I originally built them as test platforms just to test the new firmwares… Then had so much fun flying them, I never get out my big copters anymore)
And you’ll find significant differences between my older params and my latest… I’ve had PID’s ranging from .03 to .12 for P, over the course of this thread.
Anyway, I don’t think you’ll have any problems w/ 4.0… It will be an official beta sometime soon. should be any day now, if things are going to schedule (probably aren’t, though).
And in any case, everyone’s copter is different so you can’t expect anyone’s parameters to get you flying 100%, w/out doing your own tuning, too.
I’d say get your filters increased like Andy’s or my config. Maybe your loop rate, too. Then do an auto-tune. Then start adjusting from there.
I don’t know how much arducopter experience you have in general… But basically, start in stabilize and get it hovering somewhat smooth. It’s difficult to maintain altitude in stab if you aren’t used to it. But be sure it will at least take off and isn’t shaking. Then, when stab works alright, try alt_hold. If it can maintain altitude, then go for the auto-tune. (basically, don’t jump in to alt hold, or any sort of automatic mode until you’re sure it’s ok in stabilize)
I recently got back from a vacation where I got a lot of videos… I will get some uploaded to youtube whenever I get a few extra minutes, so you can see some more flight examples.
Thank you Wicked1, I will go for it with 4.0 as the windy forecast for the next few days doesn’t permit me to fly anyway. This is my first go at Arducopter and mission planner. First build was a wrecked phantom I bought off the internet and gave it a pixhawk using px4 and qgroundcontrol. I realise this will be totally different animal and am ready to take precautions. I would just like the best stuff I can have in there to reduce failure.
Currently I just have single 1/4" by 1/4" piece of foam taped over barometer smashed between fc and 4 in 1. Would you have any pics of your foam around the edge of fc? How did you attach it? What about heat?
My latest copter only has a small cube of foam over the barometer between the FC and ESC, like yours. I haven’t had any trouble w/ this one… It is a different frame… I’m not sure if that made the difference, or if the code changed and handles the problems more gracefully.
But the one w/ the foam around the edges is basically the same, only longer strips of foam. So, about 20mm long strips of foam pushed in between the FC and ESC from screw to screw, on all 4 edges. I’m not at home to get a photo. I can later, but there’s not much to see… It’s just foam along all 4 edges. Start simple, w/ the single square… If it has trouble, add more.
Wow, the wiki is a lot more informative than it was a year or so ago, last time I looked!
Thanks chobitsfan!
Hi Andrea, Thanks. This is the correct procedure?
But if i switch from stabilize to alt hold, the copter immediately (30 seconds?) lose altitude then land …
Test AltHold
This test will allow to test the altitude controller and ensure the stability of your aircraft.
- Check MOT_HOVER_LEARN is set to 2. This will allow the controller to learn by itself the correct hover value when flying.
- Take off in STABILIZE and increase altitude to 5m. Switch to AltHold and be ready to switch back to STABILIZE. If the aircraft is hovering at a very low hover throttle value you may hear a reasonably fast oscillation in the motors. Ensure the aircraft has spent at least 30 seconds in hover to let the hover throttle parameter converge to the correct value. Land and disarm the aircraft.
- Set these parameters on ground and preferably disarm (A confident pilot could set them in flight with GCS or CH6 tuning knob):
- PSC_ACCZ_I to 2 x MOT_THST_HOVER
- PSC_ACCZ_P to MOT_THST_HOVER
AltHold starts to move up and down the position and velocity controllers may need to be reduced by 50%. These values are: PSC_POSZ_P and PSC_VELZ_P.