Abstract: A mapping system and method which establish a number of navigation nodes and paths among them for a vehicle in an environment to be navigated by directing the vehicle to a selected location in the environment, designating that location as a first node, identifying the initial direction of a path to a second node such as by locating a navigation beacon proximate the second node, and moving the vehicle in the initial direction from the first node while measuring distance travelled along the path to the second node. This system and method further include defining the second node by at least the distance travelled along the path and by the initial path direction.

Abstract: A proximity detection system for determining the distance between a vehicle and a navigation beacon by resolving the altitude angle between the beacon and the vehicle and determining the distance between them. The system then defines an optimum distance between the beacon and the vehicle and compares the determined distance and the optimum distance to establish any difference between them.