A method of performing a cooperative safe landing area determination, the method being performed by a vehicle computer system comprising a processing subsystem, the method comprising: receiving perception sensor data indicative of conditions at a plurality of potential landing areas; updating a local safe landing area map based on the perception sensor data, the local safe landing area map including a grid of cells, each grid cell holding a safe landing area classification and a confidence value in the classification associated with the potential landing areas; receiving one or more remotely-generated safe landing area maps (140B, 140C) from one or more remote vehicles, each of one or more remotely-generated safe landing area maps (140B, 140C) including a grid of cells, the one or more remotely-generated safe landing area maps (140B, 140C) corresponding to one or more additional potential landing areas and non-landing areas; storing, at a map cache of the computer system, the one or more remotely-generated safe landing area maps (140B, 140C) associated with one or more identifiers of the one or more remote vehicles and freshness indicators, wherein the freshness indicators are time-stamp or sequence numbers of the one or more remotely-generated safe landing are maps; aggregating the local safe landing area map with the one or more remotely-generated safe landing area maps (140B, 140C) to form a fused safe landing area map; using the fused safe landing area map to make a final safe landing area determination; receiving the one or more identifiers and freshness indicators of the one or more remote vehicles; and requesting from the one or more remote vehicles one or more remotely-generated safe landing area maps based on the one or more identifiers and freshness indicators. receiving perception sensor data indicative of conditions at a plurality of potential landing areas; updating a local safe landing area map based on the perception sensor data, the local safe landing area map including a grid of cells, each grid cell holding a safe landing area classification and a confidence value in the classification associated with the potential landing areas; receiving one or more remotely-generated safe landing area maps (140B, 140C) from one or more remote vehicles, each of one or more remotely-generated safe landing area maps (140B, 140C) including a grid of cells, the one or more remotely-generated safe landing area maps (140B, 140C) corresponding to one or more additional potential landing areas and non-landing areas; storing, at a map cache of the computer system, the one or more remotely-generated safe landing area maps (140B, 140C) associated with one or more identifiers of the one or more remote vehicles and freshness indicators, wherein the freshness indicators are time-stamp or sequence numbers of the one or more remotely-generated safe landing are maps; aggregating the local safe landing area map with the one or more remotely-generated safe landing area maps (140B, 140C) to form a fused safe landing area map; using the fused safe landing area map to make a final safe landing area determination; receiving the one or more identifiers and freshness indicators of the one or more remote vehicles; and requesting from the one or more remote vehicles one or more remotely-generated safe landing area maps based on the one or more identifiers and freshness indicators.