Movement and management of piled granular material

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a robotic device, cause the robotic device to perform a method of moving granular material, the method comprising:

• positioning the robotic device proximate to a pile of granular material, wherein the robotic device comprises:
• a body,
• an auger-based drive system coupled with the body and including a plurality of augers configured to propel and maneuver the robotic device, and
• an auger payload coupled with the body, the auger payload comprising:
• a rotatable auger component,
• a lift arm configured to raise and lower the rotatable auger component, and
• a motorized system configured to control rotation of the rotatable auger component;
• orienting the rotatable auger component of the auger payload substantially parallel to a slope of the pile of granular material;
• lowering the rotatable auger component into the pile of granular material using the lift arm;
• rotating the rotatable auger component in a first direction to engage the granular material;
• agitating the granular material with the rotatable auger component to incite sediment gravity flow in the pile of granular material;
• and
• discharging the engaged granular material downslope to trigger additional sediment gravity flow of the granular material.

A robotic device for inciting sediment gravity flow in a pile of granular material, the robotic device comprising:

• a body;
• an auger-based drive system coupled with the body and comprising a plurality of augers configured to propel and maneuver the robotic device relative to the pile of granular material;
• an auger payload coupled to the body and comprising:
• a rotatable auger component configured to engage and discharge granular material, and
• a motorized system configured to control rotation of the rotatable auger component, including a direction and a speed of rotation;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the auger-based drive system and the auger payload, the processor configured to:
• control movement of the robotic device via the auger-based drive system, such that the rotatable auger component of the auger payload is oriented substantially parallel to a slope of the pile of granular material,
• rotate the rotatable auger component to engage the granular material and discharge the engaged granular material downslope, and
• incite sediment gravity flow in the pile of granular material by agitating the granular material with the rotatable auger component.