DSSE: An environment for simulation of reinforcement learning-empowered drone swarm maritime search and rescue missions

Abstract

The goal of this project is to advance research in maritime search and rescue missions using Reinforcement Learning techniques. The software provides researchers with two distinct environments: one simulates shipwrecked people drifting with maritime currents, creating a stochastic setting for training and evaluating autonomous agents; the other features a realistic particle simulation for mapping and optimizing search area coverage by autonomous agents. Both environments adhere to open-source standards and offer extensive customization options, allowing users to tailor them to specific research needs. These tools enable Reinforcement Learning agents to learn efficient policies for locating shipwrecked individuals or maximizing search area coverage, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of maritime rescue operations