A robotic arm deployment and control system, comprising: a robotic arm comprising at least two segments (120,130) joined by one or more elbows, wherein a first segment is operably configured as a telescoping mast, and a second segment is operably configured to deploy tools from a working end; a mast deployment system comprising a cam and a cam path, wherein the cam path is used to control angles at which the robotic arm is deployed into an operating space; sensors comprising: a non-contact sensor for measuring range and bearing to objects contained within the operating space in polar coordinates, and a dynamic measurement unit comprising accelerometers and rate sensors, wherein the dynamic measurement unit is operably configured as a six-degree of freedom three axis sensor configured to operate in a Cartesian coordinate system, a control system operably configured to: receive the polar coordinates from the non-contact sensor and Cartesian coordinates from the dynamic measurement unit, convert the polar coordinates to Cartesian coordinates based on the Cartesian location of the non-contact sensor and dynamic measurement unit, identify one or more surfaces (900a,b) defining physical boundaries of the operating space with the sensors, combine data received from the sensors use the combined data to generate a three-dimensional map of the operating space based at least in part on the one or more surfaces (900a,b), establish an impermeable virtual barrier offset from the one or more surfaces (900a,b) in the operating space, and establish a permeable virtual barrier offset from the impermeable virtual barrier. a robotic arm comprising at least two segments (120,130) joined by one or more elbows, wherein a first segment is operably configured as a telescoping mast, and a second segment is operably configured to deploy tools from a working end; a mast deployment system comprising a cam and a cam path, wherein the cam path is used to control angles at which the robotic arm is deployed into an operating space; sensors comprising: a non-contact sensor for measuring range and bearing to objects contained within the operating space in polar coordinates, and a dynamic measurement unit comprising accelerometers and rate sensors, wherein the dynamic measurement unit is operably configured as a six-degree of freedom three axis sensor configured to operate in a Cartesian coordinate system, a control system operably configured to: receive the polar coordinates from the non-contact sensor and Cartesian coordinates from the dynamic measurement unit, convert the polar coordinates to Cartesian coordinates based on the Cartesian location of the non-contact sensor and dynamic measurement unit, identify one or more surfaces (900a,b) defining physical boundaries of the operating space with the sensors, combine data received from the sensors use the combined data to generate a three-dimensional map of the operating space based at least in part on the one or more surfaces (900a,b), establish an impermeable virtual barrier offset from the one or more surfaces (900a,b) in the operating space, and establish a permeable virtual barrier offset from the impermeable virtual barrier. a non-contact sensor for measuring range and bearing to objects contained within the operating space in polar coordinates, and a dynamic measurement unit comprising accelerometers and rate sensors, wherein the dynamic measurement unit is operably configured as a six-degree of freedom three axis sensor configured to operate in a Cartesian coordinate system, a control system operably configured to: receive the polar coordinates from the non-contact sensor and Cartesian coordinates from the dynamic measurement unit, convert the polar coordinates to Cartesian coordinates based on the Cartesian location of the non-contact sensor and dynamic measurement unit, identify one or more surfaces (900a,b) defining physical boundaries of the operating space with the sensors, combine data received from the sensors use the combined data to generate a three-dimensional map of the operating space based at least in part on the one or more surfaces (900a,b), establish an impermeable virtual barrier offset from the one or more surfaces (900a,b) in the operating space, and establish a permeable virtual barrier offset from the impermeable virtual barrier. receive the polar coordinates from the non-contact sensor and Cartesian coordinates from the dynamic measurement unit, convert the polar coordinates to Cartesian coordinates based on the Cartesian location of the non-contact sensor and dynamic measurement unit, identify one or more surfaces (900a,b) defining physical boundaries of the operating space with the sensors, combine data received from the sensors use the combined data to generate a three-dimensional map of the operating space based at least in part on the one or more surfaces (900a,b), establish an impermeable virtual barrier offset from the one or more surfaces (900a,b) in the operating space, and establish a permeable virtual barrier offset from the impermeable virtual barrier.