Optical tracking system for airborne objects

An airborne object tracking system, comprising:

• an airborne object positioning system, the airborne object positioning system including a radiation emitter adapted to be attached to a refueling aircraft, and a radiation receiver adapted to be attached to the airborne object, and a signal processor;
• wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to direct a beam of emitted radiation to an area away from the radiation emitter, the radiation including discernable properties that vary in a corresponding manner with varying orientation of the beam of radiation with respect to the radiation emitter;
• wherein the radiation receiver is adapted to receive at least a portion of the emitted radiation and output a signal to the signal processor indicative of one or more of the discernable properties of the received radiation;
• and
• wherein the processor is adapted to process the outputted signal and identify a first virtual orientation indicative of an orientation of the receiver relative to the radiation emitter when at least a portion of the radiation was received by the receiver.

A method of determining a position of an airborne object, comprising:

• positioning an airborne object proximate a refueling aircraft;
• scanning a focused optical elongated beam from a radiation emitter onboard the refueling aircraft over a positioning area a defined distance from the radiation emitter;
• modulating a signal carried on the beam as the beam is scanned over the positioning area in a manner corresponding to positions of the beam within the positioning area;
• receiving the optical beam carrying the modulated signal with a receiver on the airborne object;
• and
• analyzing the modulation of the signal carried on the received optical beam to determine a position within the positioning area of the receiver at the time the radiation was received.