Final Design
The group’s final AEV featured the arduino board grounded on the top middle part of the base with the battery attached from the underside. The two “wings” were staggered so one was positioned in the front left area of the AEV and the other was located in the back right area of the AEV. This configuration was put into practice because the team realized through the motor configuration research that the AEV traveled the farthest distance for approximately the same magnitude of power when one motor faced in the forwards direction and the other faced in the reverse direction. The reason the motors were diverted slightly to the side of the AEV instead of being placed directly in the front or behind was because the group was aware that the vehicle would eventually have to be capable of connecting to a caboose through a magnet that would be placed on the front of the AEV. By placing the motors to a side the vehicle would not have to be completely reconstructed for the following Performance Test. The motors were straddled on opposite sides of the AEV to maintain relative stability.