Autonomous vehicle takes water samples, helps USF team research red tide

WFLA - As red tide continues floating off our coastline, researchers are aggressively studying the algae bloom.

While it's tragic for marine life, it's also a teaching tool for University of South Florida marine biology students.

Video from USF shows the moment researchers put their robotic glider to work.

Dr. Robert Weisberg with the USF College of Marine Science explains, "The way it works, is it adjusts its buoyance so that it's either heavy and sinks and light and rises to the surface."

As you can see, this isn't your typical top of the water research. This one is focusing on the ocean floor.