Tuning PID Control Parameters: A Combined Experimental and Simulation Study

Designing a custom auto-pilot system for multicopter drones necessitates a comprehensive evaluation process. This study explores an economically efficient approach to evaluating PID controller parameters for a double-arm aeropendulum with two DC motors, each equipped with propellers. Roll and pitch tilts generate lateral movements in quadcopters. This pendulum inclination is the most dangerous situation for stability and could lead to the crash of the drone. Simulation appears to be the solution for tuning the parameters of the controllers to avoid any unfortunate damage and harm in such cases.In this work, we first study a single-arm pendulum with only one motor and propeller. Then, we combine the movements of both two motors to retrieve the mathematical model of the quadcopter in lateral movements. A MATLAB Simulink simulator has been developed and implemented to study the theoretical model. After that, the project was implemented by installing a gyroscope as a sensor and an Arduino microprocessor for real-time acquisition of the pitching angle. The Arduino was used for data acquisition and control of the motor thrust through a laptop. The performance of the project and the assessment of the control system's results were tested, yielding promising results.