News-gathering submarines are on the way; editor asks readers how they would use such a device

"If you had a mini-sub with a camera, how would you use it in the pursuit of environmental news?" asks David Poulson, senior associate director of Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism and editor of Great Lakes Echo. Poulson says he's sold on the idea but is still trying to find a reason to justify the expenses.

It's not a futuristic concept, Poulson writes. "TT Robotix has indicated it will come out with a remotely controlled submersible capable of taking a Go-Pro camera more than 30 feet under water. It can remotely take still and video images and even stream what the camera sees as it sees it."

The sub is superior to a drone, mainly because there is little risk of attracting attention from humans or crashing into a person or vehicle, Paulson writes. Also no federal regulations currently exist against such devices, which is something that has been delaying use of drones. (Read more)