Performance Test 1 required the AEV to travel up to the gate and wait 7 seconds for the gate to rise, then travel through it. The initial design for this AEV was the flat-winged horizontal base. In Performance Test 1 there were several early problems. The first day of testing was spent reconfiguring the AEV because the AEV’s arm was facing the wrong way. Then once it was reconfigured the AEV’s reflectance sensors malfunctioned. After replacing the sensors the AEV was finally prepared for testing. Despite early challenges the AEV successfully completed Performance Test 1 with extra time remaining. The team utilized this extra time to test a different AEV design. The AEV was then changed so that the base attached to the arm vertically. (See image below)
Prototype 1
Prototype 2
Once the program was adjusted for the new AEV each runs data was downloaded and compared. From the graphs we can see that despite using the same motor power the vertical AEV travelled much more efficiently, completing the test in less time while using less power. From these results we could gather that the vertical AEV was better equipped for further testing.
