Design and Research of Marine Search and Rescue Simulation System

Search and Rescue (SAR) at sea is one of the most important humanitarian activities and also an extremely complex operation based on the coordination of each unit within search and rescue event. Taking real equipments to do SAR rehearsal has many disadvantages such as high cost and great danger. In order to overcome these shortcomings and enhance the flexibility and the collaborative ability of each unit within search and rescue event, developing and using the Marine Search and Rescue Simulation System (MSRSS) is a good solution. This paper analyzes the marine SAR system first and then present a marine SAR system model for MSRSS based on Activity Cycle Diagram (ACD), furthermore brings forward a research scheme of MSRSS including system architecture, the configuration and function of all units in MSRSS such as distress ship, rescue ship and rescue helicopter. Distress ship, rescue ships, rescue helicopter are shared one highly realistic marine SAR virtual environment through visual and auditory system. MSRSS is an integrated simulation system with searching and rescuing function, which can provide different kinds of marine SAR environments and is effective for marine disaster rescue, harbor project evaluation, navigation teaching and research, and marine SAR missions training. Till now, MSRSS has been put into trial operation, and the results of trial operation indicate that the research scheme is rational and feasible.