A long time ago I developed a method for simulating raptor flightpaths based on a fluid-flow analogy and a simple estimation method for orographic updraft velocity. See the paper here.

During my 2021-22 sabbatical I worked with collaborators at NREL to extend and implement this model in a more flexible and robust framework termed the Stochastic Soaring Raptor Simulator (SSRS) written in Python. This model is freely available on github here (you’ll need to be familiar with Python and Jupyter Notebooks), and the paper is here.