AR&D 1: Servo Motor

The first priority of Group C was to find a way to make the AEV use less energy and be as efficient as possible with our designs. The first method tested was by using a servo motor. The servo motor would get allow the AEV to cut out all need for reversing the propellers which will save on energy and make the AEV more efficient. More information on this can be found in JAR Professional Pilot Studies, by Phil Croucher in Chapter 3 pages 3-23. The servo motor will act as a traditional break that would be found in a motor vehicle today. In practice, while the AEV is moving on the track and reaches a specific distance that has been identified in the code, the motors will be shut off and the servo motor arm will press down onto the track causing friction which wills low down to AEV to a complete stop. Blue fun tac is added to the servo arm to reduce damage to the arm as well as adding the function of a break pad. The break is much faster and more consistent compared to reversing the propellers, as shown during the performance tests. In Figure 1 below shows the servo motor on the AEV.

Performance Tests 

Figure 1. (above) Close up picture of the servo motor on the AEV.

In the graph shown below in Figure 2, the tests from the first advanced research and design period have been compiled into one graph which compares the total energy and distance for thrust-only servo runs and runs with the servo brake. As shown on the graph, the tests with the servo brake uses less energy and travels a shorter distance to completely stop the AEV compared to just the thrust-only runs.  All though the difference in energy used is minimal, the main focus on stopping distance is major, as the servo motor runs had a maximum distance of 0.50 meters compared to the max distance of 2.50 meters when only using thrusts.

Figure 2. (above). Graph of AEV tests with and without the servo motor comparing their distances and total energy.