A searchlight system for an aerial vehicle, the searchlight system comprising: a searchlight having a light head and a plurality of searchlight actuators for adjusting an orientation of the light head; and an electronics control unit for providing azimuth and tilt commands for the searchlight actuators, the electronics control unit comprising a controller configured to: obtain (304, 502) a target range, using a ranging sensor, to a point of interest, POI, at a target that is at ground or at an elevation above ground; determine (306, 504) a searchlight position and attitude; calculate (308, 506) a three dimensional position, 3D target position, at the POI using searchlight azimuth and tilt actuator angles, the target range, and the searchlight position and attitude, the 3D target position being a position at which the searchlight's light head should continue to point despite changes in movement or orientation of the aerial vehicle; calculate (310, 508) a desired light head orientation including azimuth angle and tilt angle to point the light head at the target through inverting a kinematic relationship between the aerial vehicle and the light head; calculate compensatory actuator angles for the plurality of searchlight actuators to achieve the desired searchlight orientation based on error measurements calculated from a current orientation; and command (318, 512) the plurality of searchlight actuators to the compensatory actuator angles, wherein an actual light head orientation is controlled to illuminate the target. a searchlight having a light head and a plurality of searchlight actuators for adjusting an orientation of the light head; and an electronics control unit for providing azimuth and tilt commands for the searchlight actuators, the electronics control unit comprising a controller configured to: obtain (304, 502) a target range, using a ranging sensor, to a point of interest, POI, at a target that is at ground or at an elevation above ground; determine (306, 504) a searchlight position and attitude; calculate (308, 506) a three dimensional position, 3D target position, at the POI using searchlight azimuth and tilt actuator angles, the target range, and the searchlight position and attitude, the 3D target position being a position at which the searchlight's light head should continue to point despite changes in movement or orientation of the aerial vehicle; calculate (310, 508) a desired light head orientation including azimuth angle and tilt angle to point the light head at the target through inverting a kinematic relationship between the aerial vehicle and the light head; calculate compensatory actuator angles for the plurality of searchlight actuators to achieve the desired searchlight orientation based on error measurements calculated from a current orientation; and command (318, 512) the plurality of searchlight actuators to the compensatory actuator angles, wherein an actual light head orientation is controlled to illuminate the target. obtain (304, 502) a target range, using a ranging sensor, to a point of interest, POI, at a target that is at ground or at an elevation above ground; determine (306, 504) a searchlight position and attitude; calculate (308, 506) a three dimensional position, 3D target position, at the POI using searchlight azimuth and tilt actuator angles, the target range, and the searchlight position and attitude, the 3D target position being a position at which the searchlight's light head should continue to point despite changes in movement or orientation of the aerial vehicle; calculate (310, 508) a desired light head orientation including azimuth angle and tilt angle to point the light head at the target through inverting a kinematic relationship between the aerial vehicle and the light head; calculate compensatory actuator angles for the plurality of searchlight actuators to achieve the desired searchlight orientation based on error measurements calculated from a current orientation; and command (318, 512) the plurality of searchlight actuators to the compensatory actuator angles, wherein an actual light head orientation is controlled to illuminate the target.