  We consider the problem of multiple agents or robots searching for a target
in the plane. This is motivated by Search and Rescue operations (SAR) in the
high seas which in the past were often performed with several vessels, and more
recently by swarms of aerial drones and/or unmanned surface vessels.
Coordinating such a search in an effective manner is a non trivial task. In
this paper, we develop first an optimal strategy for searching with k robots
starting from a common origin and moving at unit speed. We then apply the
results from this model to more realistic scenarios such as differential search
speeds, late arrival times to the search effort and low probability of
detection under poor visibility conditions. We show that, surprisingly, the
theoretical idealized model still governs the search with certain suitable
minor adaptations.
