An intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system and associated operating method is disclosed including a ground station and one or more autonomous aerial vehicles. Each automomous vehicle is adapted to a) self-monitor a plurality of environment data; b) calculate, based at least in part upon the environment data, a soft wall radius from which it can return to the command and control interface station; c) receive a destination position to which it is commanded to fly; d) determine if the destination position is beyond the soft wall radius; and e) communicate an alert to the command and control interface station if the destination position is beyond the soft wall radius.