The disclosure relates to a method for mapping a processing area, in particular for determining a processing area, as part of a navigation method for autonomous robot vehicles. According to the disclosure, said method is characterized in that boundary lines between adjoining mapped and unmapped subareas of the processing area that is to be mapped are identified by comparing distances traveled by the robot vehicle during an initial mapping trip within the processing area, mapping of an unmapped subarea adjoining a boundary line is initiated from a point on one of those identified boundary lines during another mapping trip of the robot vehicle into the unmapped subarea, and a map of the processing area is created on the basis of the subareas mapped by the robot vehicle.