1. An apparatus for autonomous updating of GIS maps, comprising: a) a memory storage device for storing GIS data for a GIS map, the GIS data describing a region of a spatial environment and an attribute of a physical object in the region of the spatial environment; b) a mobile data collecting platform that autonomously patrols at least a portion of the region of the spatial environment; c) a range-finding sensor that collects differential range data for the physical object as the mobile data collecting platform patrols the portion of the region; d) a positional sensor that collects position data representing the locations of the mobile data collecting platform as the differential range data is collected by the range-finding sensor; and e) a computational device, comprising a processor and an application program, the application program having program instructions that, when executed by the processor, will cause the processor to automatically i) correlate the differential range data for the physical object with the position data to generate spatial data for the region, ii) identify a change in the attribute of the physical object based on the GIS data and the generated spatial data, and iii) update the GIS data on the memory storage device to reflect the change in the attribute.