How virtual search and rescue could someday help save lifes

One of my favorite type of flying in flight simulators was conducting search and rescue missions as part of some virtual SAR organizations. I enjoyed doing search patters over sea or looking for objectives in the mountains for hours and hours in all type of weather.

As the technology progresses, maybe someday flight simulators will be used as tools to help authorities in search and rescue operations using up to date satellite imagery layered on top of the exiting mesh terrain and people from around the world could join, download the current imagery and make flights over the terrain looking for signs. Similar to what coast guard or CAP pilots do in real life.

We already saw similar technology in use when thousands of people all over the world joined to help for downed aviator Steve Fossett search using current satellite imagery of the area in which he was presumed to have crashed. They took the satellite images one by one and looked for any signs of his aircraft wrecked, marking the ones in which they saw anything suspicious. That endeavor was not successfully, the wreckage being located by traditional ways later, but nevertheless it was a good try and showed the power of technology and how it can unite people together to help a cause.

With more and more hi tech satellites, cheaper imagery, faster network speeds and powerful computers it will be easier and easier to get access to high resolution imagery. There have been already technologies developed (like Tileproxy) to display real satellite imagery in FSX and allow you to fly over.

Although maybe not something that can be implemented in a lot of cases, we can't argue that there are some advantages of some sort of satellite based SAR programs: lots of people could join the effort no matter where they are located, they could do this without weather interference and no matter if it is night or day.