According to one embodiment, a route management system for an unmanned vehicle includes a network node in communication with an unmanned vehicle control system and an unmanned vehicle. The network node is operable to transmit a number of initial waypoints to the unmanned vehicle, transmit one or more in-flight waypoints to the unmanned vehicle after the unmanned vehicle has arrived at a corresponding one or more of the initial waypoints, and replace the one or more of the initial waypoints with the one or more in-flight waypoints in the unmanned vehicle such that the total quantity waypoints stored in the unmanned vehicle does not exceed a specified quantity.