diff --git a/aerpaw/controller.coderprj b/aerpaw/controller.coderprj
index b057661..7b72992 100644
--- a/aerpaw/controller.coderprj
+++ b/aerpaw/controller.coderprj
@@ -163,6 +163,11 @@
                   <Size type="coderapp.internal.codertype.Dimension"/>
                   <Size type="coderapp.internal.codertype.Dimension"/>
                 </Types>
+                <Types id="33" type="coderapp.internal.codertype.PrimitiveType">
+                  <ClassName>int32</ClassName>
+                  <Size type="coderapp.internal.codertype.Dimension"/>
+                  <Size type="coderapp.internal.codertype.Dimension"/>
+                </Types>
               </Types>
             </coderapp.internal.interface.project.Interface>
           </MF0>
@@ -1178,7 +1183,7 @@
                 </Artifacts>
                 <BuildFolder type="coderapp.internal.util.mfz.FileSpec"/>
                 <Success>true</Success>
-                <Timestamp>2026-04-05T14:48:49</Timestamp>
+                <Timestamp>2026-04-06T20:46:55</Timestamp>
               </MainBuildResult>
             </coderapp.internal.mlc.mfz.MatlabCoderProjectState>
           </MF0>
diff --git a/aerpaw/controller.m b/aerpaw/controller.m
index 6ed3a19..1b00cf9 100644
--- a/aerpaw/controller.m
+++ b/aerpaw/controller.m
@@ -42,9 +42,10 @@ end
 % TRANSIT_ALT_STEP must exceed 2 * max(collisionRadius).
 % Waypoint 1: each UAV flies to (finalX, finalY) at its unique transit altitude.
 % Waypoint 2: each UAV adjusts to its actual target altitude.
+% These constants are also used for the altitude-staggered return before RTL.
+TRANSIT_ALT_BASE = 25.0;  % must match drone.takeoff() altitude in uav_runner.py
+TRANSIT_ALT_STEP = 25;    % vertical separation per UAV (m); must exceed 2*collisionRadius
 if ~coder.target('MATLAB')
-    TRANSIT_ALT_BASE = 25.0;  % must match drone.takeoff() altitude in uav_runner.py
-    TRANSIT_ALT_STEP = 25;  % vertical separation per UAV (m); must exceed 2*collisionRadius
     for ii = double(totalLoaded):-1:1
         transitRow = (ii - 1) * 2 + 1;
         finalRow   = (ii - 1) * 2 + 2;
@@ -190,6 +191,21 @@ if ~coder.target('MATLAB')
 end
 % --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+% Altitude-staggered return: separate UAVs vertically before issuing RTL,
+% mirroring the initial positioning stagger so UAVs transit laterally at
+% unique altitudes and cannot collide during the return flight.
+if ~coder.target('MATLAB')
+    for i = 1:numClients
+        transitAlt = TRANSIT_ALT_BASE + (double(i) - 1) * TRANSIT_ALT_STEP;
+        target = [positions(i, 1), positions(i, 2), transitAlt];
+        coder.ceval('sendTarget', int32(i), coder.ref(target));
+    end
+    coder.ceval('waitForAllMessageType', int32(numClients), int32(MESSAGE_TYPE.ACK));
+    coder.ceval('waitForAllMessageType', int32(numClients), int32(MESSAGE_TYPE.READY));
+else
+    disp('Altitude-staggered return (simulation): UAVs commanded to transit altitudes.');
+end
+
 % Send RTL command to all clients
 for i = 1:numClients
     if coder.target('MATLAB')
diff --git a/aerpaw/results/plotGpsLogs.m b/aerpaw/results/plotGpsLogs.m
index 637bfd9..a5d1206 100644
--- a/aerpaw/results/plotGpsLogs.m
+++ b/aerpaw/results/plotGpsLogs.m
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ function [f, G] = plotGpsLogs(logDirs, seaToGroundLevel, plotWholeFlight)
 
             fprintf("Minimum distance between agents %d and %d is %2.3f\n", ii, jj, min(d));
             if min(d) < 6
-                warning("Minimum distance between agents %d and %d of %2.3f is questionable for AERPAW", ii, jj, min(d);
+                warning("Minimum distance between agents %d and %d of %2.3f is questionable for AERPAW", ii, jj, min(d));
             end
         end
     
diff --git a/aerpaw/results/resultsAnalysis.m b/aerpaw/results/resultsAnalysis.m
index d480a72..2d13f69 100644
--- a/aerpaw/results/resultsAnalysis.m
+++ b/aerpaw/results/resultsAnalysis.m
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 %% Plot AERPAW logs (trajectory, radio)
-resultsPath = fullfile(matlab.project.rootProject().RootFolder, "sandbox", "two_around_wall"); % Define path to results copied from AERPAW platform
+resultsPath = fullfile(matlab.project.rootProject().RootFolder, "sandbox", "test2"); % Define path to results copied from AERPAW platform
 
 % Measure intervals between issuing commands from the controller 
 % (make sure this is ~4-5 seconds at minimum to avoid overwhelming the UAV autopilot)
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ fprintf("Minimum command spacing: %2.3f seconds\n", seconds(min(dt)));
 fprintf("Maximum command spacing: %2.3f seconds\n", seconds(max(dt)));
 fprintf("Mean command spacing: %2.3f seconds\n", seconds(mean(dt)));
 fprintf("Median command spacing: %2.3f seconds\n", seconds(median(dt)));
-if seconds(min(dt)) > 4 
-    warning("Minimum command spacing %2.3f questionably short for AERPAW", min(dt));
+if seconds(min(dt)) < 4 
+    warning("Minimum command spacing %2.3f questionably short for AERPAW", seconds(min(dt)));
 end
 
 % Plot GPS logged data and scenario information (domain, objective, obstacles)