In order to improve the success rate of maritime search and rescue operations, an airborne search and rescue effectiveness evaluation model at an uncertain base point at sea is proposed. Introduce the working principles and characteristics of the 4 search styles of fan, extended square, parallel line and traverse line, compare and analyze search styles using aerial visual and photoelectric methods, and establish 2 kinds of effectiveness evaluation models, which including positive discovery type and probability discovery type based on the detection capabilities of detection equipment. Establish model by probability model, and the simulation calculation of search success rate is performed. Simulation results prove that the evaluation model can provide reference for the command decision of maritime search and rescue operations.