How do you ballast an Ocean Robot?
Ever wonder how an underwater robot flies in the ocean? The key is to make them naturally buoyant, which means adjusting their density so it will be the same as the water they will be flying in. Rutgers glider pilots Dave and Nicole demonstrate how they use our large saltwater ballast tank to prepare underwater gliders for missions around the world. You can use the same principles to ballast your ocean robot, and make it float or sink.
Check out the other Ocean Robot Test Tank Videos
This video is part of the 2022 4-H STEM Challenge: Explorers of the Deep, developed by Rutgers University. You can find out more about the challenge, including how to download the youth and facilitator guides, on the Explorers of the Deep page.