The Power Distribution Board (PDB) is designed to manage and distribute electrical power efficiently and safely across the rover’s electronic subsystems. It serves as the central power backbone, handling both high-power motor loads and low-power control electronics.

The board accepts a 24V battery input, which is directly routed to high-power outputs for motor systems while also feeding an integrated dual-output buck converter that generates regulated 12V and 5V rails. These regulated outputs supply cameras, control boards, sensors, and auxiliary electronics used throughout the rover.

To support high-current applications, the PDB provides two dedicated 24V motor connectors, each capable of powering three motors in parallel, ensuring balanced current distribution and reliable operation under load. Multiple 12V connectors are allocated for cameras and emergency lighting, while 5V outputs power low-voltage logic boards and communication modules.

Safety is a key focus of the design. The board includes a mechanical emergency stop connector that immediately cuts motor power in critical situations, protecting both hardware and operators. Additionally, a USB power input allows connection to an external power bank to independently power the Raspberry Pi or onboard computer, ensuring safe shutdown and system stability when the main battery is disconnected.

An edge connector interface is also included, allowing the PDB to connect to an external board like in our system is for external buck converter board that converts 12V to 7.4V for specialized subsystems, further enhancing modularity and expandability.

This power distribution board was developed with an emphasis on robust power routing, protection, and modular expansion, making it suitable for complex robotic platforms that require reliable multi-voltage power management.

Team Contribution:

This board was developed by the Hardware Sub team of Mind Cloud Team as part of a multi-board rover electronics system.

Photos: