Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a robotic device to perform a tissue modification task are disclosed. The methods include receiving a task plan relative to a patient's image data. The task plan includes information relating to an entry point of a surgical tool into a tissue and a planned trajectory of the surgical tool inside the tissue for performing the tissue modification task. The methods also include controlling the robotic device to autonomously or semi-autonomously execute the tissue modification task by identifying datum point as the entry point of the surgical tool into the tissue, activating the surgical tool to perform the tissue modification task along the planned trajectory from the datum point, determining whether the surgical tool has reached an end of the planned trajectory, and retracting the surgical tool from the tissue upon determining that the surgical tool has reached the end of the planned trajectory.