DJI has entered the robot vacuum market with Romo, a three-model lineup rolling out in parts of Europe. The company is leaning on its drone navigation expertise to stand out. All versions use a dual fisheye vision system paired with solid-state LiDAR to spot and avoid obstacles with very fine precision, down to a few millimeters, and to plan routes more intelligently than typical infrared or bumper-based bots. The lineup consists of Romo S, a solid white model, Romo A, a semi-transparent version, and Romo P, a fully transparent flagship with a matching clear dock. European pricing runs from about €1,299 for Romo S to €1,899 for Romo P, positioning DJI at the premium end of the category.
Suction power is one of Romo’s big headline specs. DJI quotes up to 25,000 pascals, which is higher than what most premium rivals advertise. The motor uses a nine-blade metal fan and is paired with airflow tweaks to maintain power while keeping noise down. DJI’s published figures place the bot’s operating noise around 56 dBA while vacuuming and about 65 dBA during dust collection, with a quieter self-cleaning dock cycle than average.
The cleaning system mixes vacuuming and mopping. Dual mop pads lift when the robot detects carpet, and the bot can slow the side brushes and reduce speed when the vision system identifies scatter-prone debris such as cat litter or spilled pet food. The flagship P configuration adds a water tank setup and dock options that handle refilling, drying, and consumables automatically. DJI also highlights a deodorizing function in the dock that freshens the pads between runs.
Romo’s edge cleaning relies on extendable side brushes that can reach into corners and along baseboards. The company says the robot adjusts brush pressure and speed based on surface type and mess size, and that it can distinguish cables from shoelaces or toys to avoid tangles. These behaviors come from the same style of perception and path planning DJI uses in its drones, adapted for ground movement at low speed.
Navigation and mapping are central to the experience. The dual fisheye cameras give a wide field of view for object identification, while the solid-state LiDAR builds an accurate floor plan for room-by-room or zone-based cleaning. DJI and several first-look reports note that Romo can detect very small obstacles that trip up conventional bots, which should reduce rescues and failed runs. The app supports live map editing, no-go zones, and targeted spot cleans.
Privacy and remote viewing are part of DJI’s pitch. Romo can stream a live encrypted video feed so owners can check a room or peek in on pets from the app. The feature set also includes typical smart assistant controls, although early coverage notes that integrations with major smart-home platforms are limited at launch compared to established rivals. If you want deep HomeKit or Alexa routines, you may need to wait for firmware updates.
Availability is narrow right now. DJI has started European sales, with initial stock appearing through regional DJI channels and retailers, but there is no U.S. release date. U.K. availability is also unclear, with some reports suggesting the launch skipped the U.K. alongside the U.S. That limited rollout, and the premium pricing, mean Romo is not an immediate threat to value leaders from Roborock or Dreame yet, even if its sensors and suction look competitive.
If you are weighing Romo against category leaders, the early picture is straightforward. Romo appears to lead on raw suction specs, obstacle detection resolution, and dock noise, and it brings a distinctive transparent industrial design. It likely trails on ecosystem breadth, accessories and consumables availability, and proven long-run reliability outside China. Real-world testing will tell whether DJI’s drone-class perception translates into fewer stuck runs and better cleaning efficiency in cluttered homes.
