power
voltage regulators
We connected the two supplied 7.2V batteries in series to get a higher voltage for powering the DC motor, and we connected a switch and fuse in series. We then used a LM350 voltage regulator to reduce the voltage from batteries 14.4V down to 5V. LM350 can support as high as 5A of current, which is enough for the four DC motors. A L78 5V voltage regulator is also used to further reduce the voltage down to 5V, in order to power various sensors.
fuse and emergency switch
A 3A fuse was connected in line with the battery in case of any power issues. We also installed an easily accessible on/off switch.