Underwater Robot Sent to Oil Spill

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) has launched an underwater robot in the oil spill area of the Gulf of Mexico to gather data to gain more information on the situation.

The robotic submersible will be able to get a clearer picture of what is happening under the waters, in order to complement the surface images and info gained from satellite and aircraft surveillance.

It will especially be able to probe the underwater oil plumes and see how extensive they are and a the nature of the challenge to deal with them.

The robotic vehicle is programmed on the surface before being released into the water, and then travel on their own through the water to gather data as the go.