S&R Simulation

The team of TU-Sofia, Faculty of Transport, Department of Aeronautics and guests!

Core Concept: Players are search and rescue coordinators responding to aircraft distress signals. They use real Copernicus data to plan and execute search operations, making critical decisions about resource allocation and search strategies.

Key Gameplay Elements:

1. Mission Setup - Players receive a distress signal with limited information (last known position, time, aircraft type). They must analyze:

   • Copernicus weather data (cloud cover, wind patterns, visibility)
   • Terrain data (mountains, forests, water bodies)
   • Time elapsed since last contact

2. Resource Selection - Players choose from limited resources:

   • Helicopter teams (limited fuel/range)
   • Ground search teams (slower but thorough)
   • Drones (good for reconnaissance)
   • Each with different costs and capabilities

3. Search Area Definition - Based on drift calculations, weather, and terrain, players must define a realistic search zone (not too large to be impossible, not too small to miss the target)

4. Search Pattern Selection - Different patterns for different scenarios (expanding square, parallel track, sector search)