In the world of home robotics, we have largely been conditioned to treat robot vacuums like appliances from the 1950s: hide them in a cupboard, let them do their noisy business while you are out, and pray they don’t get tangled in a rogue charging cable. However, DJI, a brand better known for dominating the skies with its flagship drones, has officially landed in our living rooms with the ROMO P. After spending some quality time with this flagship model, it is clear that DJI isn’t just entering the market; they are trying to redefine it.
A Masterclass in “Mechanical Art”
When I first saw the promo shots of the ROMO P’s transparent chassis, I’ll admit I thought it was a bit of a gimmick, a novelty meant to catch the eye of tech nerds like myself but with an overall practicality that despite being able to see deep into the device, is only surface level.
But seeing it in person changed my tune. It feels less like a vacuum and more like a piece of “mechanical art”.
The transparent panels on both the robot and the base station offer a literal window into the precision engineering that makes this thing tick. It reminds me of the sleek, futuristic robots from the film I, Robot. I initially worried that a clear casing would simply put every speck of internal dust and grime on display, making the device look filthy within a week. Surprisingly, it has done the opposite. By allowing you to see the internal components, the ROMO P highlights just how efficient its internal cleaning and maintenance processes actually are. If it still doesn’t sit with you, there is a pure white version of the device as well.
The “Quiet” Claim (That Actually Holds Water)
We have all heard the “whisper-quiet” marketing spiel before, and usually, it’s best taken with a heavy grain of salt. Most robot vacuums sound like a miniature jet engine taking off in your hallway. Because of this, I’ve always scheduled my previous robots to run only during the day when the house is empty. I think back to my original iRobot Roomba that could give a Harley-Davidson a run for its money.
The ROMO P is a different beast entirely. It features a three-stage sound suppression system that filters up to 80% of noise during dust collection. While it isn’t silent, the noise is remarkably contained to the immediate space the device is occupying. It is the first time I have felt comfortable scheduling a clean while the kids are actually in bed. It goes about its business with a low-profile hum that isn’t the least bit distracting.
Taming the Long Hair Legend
If you live in a house with long-haired residents, you know the “tangle-free” struggle. Usually, every fortnight involves a pair of scissors and a lot of patience as you cut away a matted mess from the roller brushes.
The ROMO P utilizes a twin high-torque motor system and dual anti-tangle roller brushes. In a household with two young girls, hair is a permanent fixture on our floors (maybe I should have gotten a long haired dog instead?). Yet, the ROMO P hasn’t skipped a beat. It sweeps debris into a hollow center, preventing the typical “bird’s nest” effect around the rollers. It is a genuine “set and forget” experience for long-hair pickup. The bonus here is that it comes packed with a spare set of rollers in the box, so if you do need to swap them out its not an extra accessory purchase straight away.
Drone Tech on the Floor
The real magic, however, comes from DJI’s heritage. The ROMO P uses millimeter-level obstacle sensing derived from their drone technology. Using dual fisheye vision sensors and wide-angle solid-state LiDAR, it can detect objects as thin as a 2mm charging cable or even a stray playing card.
Combined with its “Dual Robotic Arms” that extend to reach deep into corners and under cabinets, the coverage is significantly more thorough than the “bump and turn” method used by many competitors.
Advanced Mopping: Precision Water and Custom Solutions
The mopping system on the ROMO P is far more sophisticated than a simple wet cloth dragging across the floor. To maintain consistent cleaning performance in larger rooms, the robot features a 164ml on-board water tank that keeps the mop pads damp throughout the entire cycle, preventing the “dry-trailing” common in models that only wet their pads at the base station. The device even uses intelligent sensors to automatically increase water output when it detects stubborn dirt.
Where it truly differentiates itself is in the liquid management. The ROMO P features a dedicated compartment for floor deodoriser alongside a standard cleaning solution. This allows for a highly tailored approach: you can customise a routine to use high-strength cleaning solution to dissolve heavy grease in the kitchen, while switching to a fresh floor deodoriser for a deep clean in the living areas. All of this is applied directly to the mop pads via a “Degreasing Mode” to ensure maximum effectiveness without wasting chemicals.
A Map You Can Actually Read: The DJI Home App
If you have used some other robot vacuum apps, you are likely familiar with the “abstract art” style of mapping, a chaotic collection of coloured blobs that vaguely resemble your home. DJI has leveraged its extensive drone mapping expertise to create the DJI Home app, which offers an elegant, minimalist interface that feels professional rather than messy.
Instead of a coloured blur, the ROMO P creates a high-precision digital twin of your environment. The mapping is remarkably accurate, displaying the crisp, rectangular lines of your walls and furniture. This architectural clarity makes it incredibly easy to distinguish between the hallway and the lounge at a glance. When you want to assign a targeted clean, you aren’t guessing which room to select, the app accurately identifies the size and location of carpets and thresholds, allowing you to trigger a “one-tap quick start” for specific rooms with total confidence.
Interaction and Security: Voice, Video, and Privacy
Beyond the standard app controls, the ROMO series brings a layer of interactive intelligence to the home. The onboard sensors allow you to do more than just clean; you can use the robot to remotely check in on your home, interact with your pets, or even talk with family members through the device.
While the system is designed for seamless interaction, DJI has prioritised security to ensure these “eyes and ears” remain private. To protect your privacy:
- Two-Factor Authentication is required for the first-time use of any camera access.
- Encrypted Transmission ensures that all video data remains secure while being sent to your mobile device.
- Disability Feature: The video function can be completely disabled whenever it is not in use for total peace of mind.
The Verdict
Starting from $2,299 AUD, the ROMO P is undoubtedly a solid investment, but within reach compared to some other models on the market. It has an all-in-one base station that offers up to 200 days of maintenance-free operation and is a device designed for those who just want to reclaim their time. It is smart, it is incredibly powerful with 25,000 Pascals of suction, and most importantly it looks like it belongs in 2026 and beyond.
