Methods and systems for insertion of an instrument into a body cavity of ananimal for performing asurgical procedure using a processor circuit controlled robotic surgery systemare disclosed. In someembodiments, a method involves receiving body cavity image data representingan interior view of thebody cavity captured by a camera inserted into the body cavity, determining,by the processor circuit,instrument parameters associated with physical extents of the instrument to beinserted, determining,by the processor circuit, an instrument envelope identifying a region throughwhich the instrument iscapable of moving in the body cavity, and generating, by the processorcircuit, display signals operableto display a composite view of the interior of the body cavity on a display,the composite view beingbased on the body cavity image data and including an envelope overlay imagegenerated to representthe instrument envelope.
