Patent ID: 7988095

Claim:
A method for performing an in-flight operation between a first aircraft and a second aircraft, the method comprising: configuring a first group of emitting devices from a plurality of emitting devices to a first emission bank on the first aircraft; configuring a second group of emitting devices from said plurality of emitting devices to a second emission bank on the first aircraft, wherein at least one of said plurality of emitting devices from at least one of said first group of emitting devices and said second group of emitting devices is part of both said first emission bank and said second emission bank; selecting at least one of said first emission bank and second emission bank to activate a pre-determined group of emitting devices from at least one of said first group of emitting devices and said second group of emitting devices: generating electromagnetic radiation between about 10 nanometers and about 420 nanometers from said pre-determined group of emitting devices of selected emission bank on the first aircraft; and directing said electromagnetic radiation from the first aircraft to selectively illuminate the second aircraft and the second aircraft is in an in-flight refueling envelope.