Abstract: Methods for mapping safe and traversable routes for robot vehicles comprise using a deviation to create an operating range threshold that is to be included in a stored path and used by a robot vehicle as a threshold for normal operating conditions when the robot vehicle traverses a safe and traversable route. Methods for responding to unsafe conditions detected by a robot vehicle during operations comprise executing a contingency plan when a variance exceeds an operating delta and does not exceed an intervention delta. Methods for responding to anomalous conditions encountered by a robot vehicle comprise contacting a human controller when a variance exceeds an operating delta and an intervention delta.