DSARTS: Drone Search and Rescue Training Simulator is a purpose‑built drone search‑and‑rescue training simulator created by real responders who crew the boats, search the shoreline, and fly the drones when someone needs help. What began as a simple 3D modelling exercise quickly evolved into a fully fledged training platform—one that captures the complexity, uncertainty, and decision‑making challenges of real SAR operations. Designed for both new pilots and experienced operators, DSARTS provides a safe, repeatable environment to practise search patterns, camera control, and target detection across coastlines, cliffs, estuaries, and urban edges. Every scenario unfolds dynamically, and every target must be found inside the simulation, turning each run into a genuine problem‑solving exercise rather than a pre‑scripted routine. Operations teams can use DSARTS to run full desktop exercises, working through the entire response cycle: receiving initial information, planning the search, allocating resources, adapting to conditions, and reacting as new clues emerge. Because the simulator generates real outcomes—not predetermined ones—teams learn to coordinate, interpret information, and make decisions under pressure just as they would during an actual callout. DSARTS also supports custom locations and scenarios, allowing organisations to train in the environments they operate in. Local beaches, cliffs, rivers, and inland corridors can be integrated to preserve institutional knowledge and strengthen preparedness long before the next real‑world search. DSARTS is more than a simulator. It’s a shared platform where responders and drone operators can learn, experiment, and prepare for the moments that matter.
