This invention provides a method for aerial refueling positioning using targets and dual cameras. A
microcontroller controls a target
system consisting of a
liquid crystal light valve, a
button battery, and a reflector to actively
flash light. Three targets are fixed to the refueling hose, and two targets are fixed to the
receiver aircraft's
fuel tank. Two cameras are mounted on the refueling aircraft to continuously photograph the five targets. Based on the camera's intrinsic and extrinsic parameters, the pixel positions of the targets in the photographs, and the target distances, linear and nonlinear equations are constructed. Solving these equations yields the three-dimensional coordinates of the five targets. Averaging these coordinates yields the coordinates of the hose center and the
fuel tank center, as well as their
deviation vector. Finally, the vertical vector of the hose plane is calculated using the three targets on the hose. Through
decomposition, the three-dimensional error vector required for hose control is obtained, completing the error measurement during the aerial refueling process.