CONSOL

A free simulator of the console an operator uses to keep track of a team of autonomous drones on wildfire, search-and-rescue and survey missions.

Runs in the browser on a tablet, laptop or desktop.

This needs a bigger screen than a phone. Try it on a tablet, laptop or desktop.

What it's for

Autonomous aircraft fly their own search patterns, so one operator on the ground can supervise several at once. The operator's job is to keep each one where it's needed as the mission changes.

Consol puts you in that seat on wildfire, search and rescue and survey missions. A drone hits bingo battery and turns for the pad, and its sector needs covering. Another loses its link behind a ridge and needs a relay. Incident command calls in a new sighting, and a pattern has to move.

Start with any of the 8 missions to see what it's like running an autonomous fleet in the field.

The console on Kestrel Ridge, showing the fleet list, the map with HAWK-3's lost link, its warning card counting down, and a timeline lane for each drone.

Kestrel Ridge, 1:36 in. HAWK-3 has lost its link behind the ridge, and the warning card counts down to it flying home on its own.

Missions and drills

Each mission is based on a real-world scenario, with its own problems scripted in. You can join the one that's already running, or pick your own. Drills are shorter and focus on one problem at a time.

Missions: 8A ridge fire, a lost hiker, a missing paddleboarder, a burn-scar survey, a line patrol, a stock check, a climbing accident and a bighorn census.
Drills: 8Link loss, relay handover, battery failure, splitting a search, spare onboarding, detection triage, re-sweep rhythm and crewed traffic.

Every session you end is kept as a replay you can step through afterwards.

A mission is always under way

Join the current one mid-shift, or start any mission or drill from T+0. It runs in the browser with nothing to install.

Launch the simulator

This needs a bigger screen than a phone. Try it on a tablet, laptop or desktop.