Design
The final design of the AEV was decided by the team to be mounted on a plus shaped/x shaped bracket. This was done in order to allow the most efficient propeller configuration to be used as was discovered in the Advanced Research and Development. The propellers are mounted on the underside of the main body on the longer arms. This design was proven to be most efficient in the AEV travel in regards to time and power usage.
Cost
The total capital cost of the AEV is $152,026. This cost includes all of the pieces needed to assemble the AEV and the custom parts that were created to fit the vehicle during testing. The average cost of the performance test totaled $476,651. These costs combine for a total AEV budget of $628,677. While this cost is over the original budget of $500,000, there are many ways to decrease the cost of this vehicle by altering the code and how the AEV runs.
Energy
The total amount of joules used to conduct the final performance tests were recorded. The first trial used 272.86J and the second trial used 290.68J. This results in an average of 281.77J of power used for the final performance test. In an attempt to minimize power usage, the AEV used less power when it was going downhill and relied on coasting for a short time before reversing the engines to come to a routine stop. The code could be altered and perfected in order to fully minimize the amount of power the vehicle uses.
Safety
Team N’s AEV has accumulated zero safety violations over the course of the project. With safety being a main priority, the team ensured that all rules and regulations were followed. When braking the AEV, the vehicle was reversed at a low power in order to coast to a stop rather than an abrupt, potentially dangerous stop. This helps to ensure the safety and security of the passengers. Using this method, the AEV was able to follow all rules and regulations concerning safety.