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Chapter 2: Quadcopter Flight Dynamics 25

System Component Description
Set point The temperature set on the thermostat
Process variable Room temperature
Error signal Set point minus process variable
Output Abstraction for the room heating process
Feedback gain Normally zero for this type of control system
Controller Varies with thermostat type—might be a microcontroller;
old fashion type uses bimetallic electrical contacts
Plant Furnace and all its related components

Table 2.3 System Components Related to PID Block Diagram

Control systems are normally designed to minimize disturbance effects. Several key
parameters that characterize control system performance need to be defined. These are:

• Rise time
• Percent overshoot
• Settling time
• Steady-state error

Figure 2.14 shows a typical PID response graph with the previously mentioned key
parameters annotated within the figure. This graph represents the process variable response

Figure 2.14 PID response graph.