The Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) has been used in various industries for a long time. The three controller gains has made it simple to use and is robust as well. Proper tuning of these three gains is crucial for it to perform at its best. This has led to a new era of PID tuning which involves adapting metaheuristic algorithms for the tuning of this controller. Metaheuristic algorithms have opened up new possibilities in terms of tuning the PID controller gains. Pioneer methods such as Ziegler-Nichols and Cohen-Coon are rigid with only few derivatives of the formula whereas metaheuristic algorithms are dynamic, fast and adaptable which gives it great potential. In return, the untapped potential of the PID controller can be explored. This will then optimize the process or application the PID controller is running. This paper will investigate the cuckoo search (CS) algorithm and improved cuckoo search (ICS) algorithm along with four fitness function to improve performance of a DC Servo Motor. © 2017, UK Simulation Society. All rights reserved.