A method of control of a first robotic device and a second robotic device among multiple robotic devices that operate within an environment, the method comprising: identifying, by a control system, a collaborative operation to be performed by the first robotic device and the second robotic device, wherein the collaborative operation is based on a relative positioning between the first robotic device and the second robotic device; determining, by the control system, respective locations, of the first robotic device and the second robotic device based on data representing a map of the environment by determining, by the control system, respective locations, relative to the map, of the first robotic device and the second robotic device; initiating, by the control system, a movement of the first robotic device along a path from the determined location of the first robotic device towards the determined location of the second robotic device; after initiating the movement, causing, by the control system, at least one of the first robotic device and the second robotic device to establish a visual handshake, the visual handshake indicating the relative positioning between the first robotic device and the second robotic device for the collaborative operation and identifying the other robotic device among the multiple robot devices operating in the environment to the at least one of the first robotic device and the second robotic device; and updating the location of the first robotic device or the second robotic device within the map of the environment based on the relative positioning between the first and second robotic device indicated by the visual handshake, wherein the visual handshake comprises one of the first or the second robotic device detecting a visual tag, mark or other characteristic of the other of the first or the second robotic device. identifying, by a control system, a collaborative operation to be performed by the first robotic device and the second robotic device, wherein the collaborative operation is based on a relative positioning between the first robotic device and the second robotic device; determining, by the control system, respective locations, of the first robotic device and the second robotic device based on data representing a map of the environment by determining, by the control system, respective locations, relative to the map, of the first robotic device and the second robotic device; initiating, by the control system, a movement of the first robotic device along a path from the determined location of the first robotic device towards the determined location of the second robotic device; after initiating the movement, causing, by the control system, at least one of the first robotic device and the second robotic device to establish a visual handshake, the visual handshake indicating the relative positioning between the first robotic device and the second robotic device for the collaborative operation and identifying the other robotic device among the multiple robot devices operating in the environment to the at least one of the first robotic device and the second robotic device; and updating the location of the first robotic device or the second robotic device within the map of the environment based on the relative positioning between the first and second robotic device indicated by the visual handshake, wherein the visual handshake comprises one of the first or the second robotic device detecting a visual tag, mark or other characteristic of the other of the first or the second robotic device.