In recent years, DJI has made a name for itself primarily with handy camera solutions and drones suitable for the mass market. Now the manufacturer wants to use its expertise in the field of smart cameras and innovative navigation technology to shake up the robot vacuum market. In the DJI Romo test, we took a closer look at the robot vacuum equipped with 25,000 Pascal suction power, lateral LiDAR navigation, obstacle detection with double fisheye cameras and a practical self-cleaning station.
Technical data
| Model | DJI Romo P |
| Suction power | 25.000 Pascal |
| Robot vacuum cleaner dimensions | 35.1 x 35.18 x 9.8 cm (4.4 kg) |
| Cleaning station dimensions | 45.3 x 42.5 x 44.0 cm |
| Fresh water tank volume | 4 l |
| Dirty water tank volume | 3,2 l |
| Mop function | – Mop can be raised (20 mm) – Mop can be extended – Cleaning with cleaning solution – Main brush can be raised |
| Navigation and obstacle detection | – 3× LiDAR sensors – Dual fisheye cameras + LED light |
| Additional functions | – Automatic addition of cleaning agent – Carpet detection – DJI Home app with camera access – Hot water cleaning mops – Hot air drying mops – Extendable side brush |
| price | € 1,699.00 * |
Scope of delivery
- DJI Romo vacuum robot
- Cleaning station
- Drive-on ramp
- Cleaning solution
- Deodorant solution
- Spare main brush
- Operating instructions
DJI Romo P test: design and workmanship
The DJI Romo brings a breath of fresh air to the robot vacuum sector. If you are looking for a smart household helper that is as discreet as possible, you may be bothered by its appearance. Because the Robo from DJI doesn’t want to be overlooked. The stylish transparent design ensures this. As you can take a look inside the robot hoover and cleaning station through the glass housing, hardly any of the technical components remain hidden.
Personally, this reminds me of the hardware from the Nothing brand. The best example is the Nothing Ear (a) in-ear headphones (Review | € 79.90 *). Of course, the whole thing is a matter of taste, but I personally think the design is really cool because it’s refreshing. Apart from the transparent housing, the design is familiar. The Robo itself comes in a circular design and does without a LiDAR tower.
There are two small buttons on the top. One can be used to start and stop the device, the other can be used to send the robot home. The navigation technology based on LiDAR and the cameras for obstacle detection are located on the side and front. The dust container can be removed at the rear. The suction chute, tank nozzle and charging contacts for charging the robot hoover are also located here.
There are two rotating mop pads on the underside that hold magnetically. The left one can be extended, which should make cleaning the edges easier. The main brush is divided into two parts, similar to the DuoDivide system of a Roborock Saros 10 (Review | € 1,224.77 *). There are two side brushes on the right and left. The left one can also be extended, which should ensure good corner cleaning.
The cleaning station comes in a matching transparent look and therefore also gives us a glimpse of the technical inner workings. A flap on the front gives you access to the dust bag. The washing, suction and charging station for the Robo is located in the lower area. The dirt and fresh water tank can be accessed from the top. The rounded design is reminiscent of the Roborock Qrevo CurvX (Review | € 1,049.00 *).
DJI Romo P Test: DJI App
The DJI app already scores points for ease of use during setup. Once you have found a suitable location for the Robo and cleaning station and connected the power cable, you can immediately pull out your smartphone to add the Romo as a new device. In my test, the Robo and smartphone found each other very quickly, which is why I was able to start the first mapping in a flash.
After this was completed, I was able to take a first look at the numerous setting options. The most common parameters are available here. You can make adjustments to the map. For example, you can define invisible walls, change the room layout or create restricted zones.
You can also create a cleaning schedule so that the Romo cleans your home at fixed times. Of course, you can also adjust the suction power and mopping intensity. All in all, DJI definitely offers enough options to adapt the robot to your own needs. You can also access the camera via the app and turn the ROMO into a mobile surveillance camera.
DJI Romo P test: navigation and obstacle detection
Although the DJI Romo does not have a LiDAR tower, it still offers laser navigation. How does it work? DJI simply places the technology on the side of the housing. This is where 3× LiDAR sensors are used for 360° navigation. And they already do a very good job with mapping. A look at the app shows that the Romo creates a detailed map that is impressive. The route planning is also of a high standard.
This is based on the path planning algorithms of DJI drones and is impressive in practice. The robot generally selects the most efficient route to reach its destination. It also did not get stuck in bottlenecks or dead ends during the test. In my opinion, however, the obstacle detection is a particular highlight. The manufacturer claims to have drawn on the technical achievements of its drones here too. And you can feel it.
Thanks to the interaction of the dual fisheye image sensors and the three wide-angle dual transmitter solid-state LiDARs, the ROMO detects even extremely small obstacles. It not only reliably avoided cables. It even reliably recognized index cards and skilfully avoided them. Here, the DJI is at least in the same league as a Narwhal Flow (Review | € 1,299.00 *), which is also known for its excellent obstacle detection.
DJI Romo P test: suction power
The DJI ROMO has an impressive suction power of 25,000 Pascal and thus offers more power than current flagships such as the 20,000 Pascal Dreame X50 Ultra (Review | € 888.00 *). And it also transfers this performance to the floor. The cleaning performance on hard floors is particularly impressive.
The ROMO collected 99% of our dirt mixture consisting of oat flakes, coffee beans and small soup noodles on my vinyl floor. On my short-pile carpet it collected 90%, and on my carpet with medium-length fibers it still collected a good 88%. Thanks to carpet detection, the Robo automatically increases its suction power to maximum.
It also raises its mop pads to prevent the carpet from becoming damp. The suction power in edge and corner areas is also impressive. This is where the extendable side brush comes into its own. The two-part main brush also does a good job, as it deals excellently with hair and there were no tangles in our test.
DJI Romo P test: Mopping performance
The DJI also made a good impression in terms of mopping performance. The smart household helper relies on two rotating wiping pads that work with a contact pressure of 5N and use cleaning solution on request. In the test, I first had the ROMO remove two jam stains. The fresh stain was completely removed after two wipes. I dried the second jam stain using my hair dryer. The ROMO had a little more difficulty with the dried stain.
Even after three passes, there was still some residue of the very dried jam stain. However, the mopping results were still good for a robot vacuum cleaner. In a second test, I had the DJI wipe away puddles of coffee and grape juice. I wasn’t overly convinced here. After all, this revealed a common problem with robot hoovers with rotating mop pads. In the absence of an integrated dirty water tank, the DJI spread the liquid all over the floor.
However, I must also emphasize the obstacle detection. The ROMO recognizes puddles and behaves as desired by the user. For example, it can avoid them completely or drive over them with the main brush raised and suction mode switched off. Vacuum robots with a mopping roller, such as an Ecovacs DEEBOT X11 OmniCyclone (Review | € 936.14 *), perform well in puddles.
Here, the roller is wiped off and the liquid ends up in a dirty water tank. As the ROMO has nothing comparable on board, it also takes considerably longer for the liquid to be completely removed from the floor. However, where the DJI completely convinced me again was the edge cleaning. Thanks to the extendable mop pad, the smart household helper can be positioned directly on the edge of a piece of furniture or skirting board to ensure a rimless clean.
DJI Romo P test: Cleaning station
The DJI ROMO’s cleaning station also has a lot to offer. It not only vacuums the robot hoover. The mops are also washed with hot water during and after cleaning. High-pressure water nozzles are used on the washboard. Unlike the MOVA V50 Ultra (Review | € 849.00 *), the mop pads cannot be parked here.
This can be annoying in pure suction mode. What is reminiscent of the MOVA, however, is the automatic addition of detergent. The station has two different slots. One is for the cleaning solution that is used when mopping. The other is intended as a kind of deodorizer for high-traffic areas such as the bathroom or kitchen and is designed to protect the user from unpleasant odours.
It is a bit of a shame that DJI does not use tanks that can be filled variably. Instead, you have to use the manufacturer’s own solutions. Following the suction and cleaning function, the hot air drying of the wiping pads continues. According to the manufacturer, 60°C hot air is used here. We were able to measure a good 40°C, but to be fair, we didn’t really reach the air outlets either.
The dust bag is also subjected to UV sterilization. DJI emphasizes that the ROMO should work very quietly during cleaning and drying thanks to the silencer system. While vacuuming is indeed comparatively quiet, the other noises are, in my opinion, at a standard level. Thanks to the quick-charging function, the Robo charges with 55 W
Practical test results
| Discipline | Points/Rating |
| Suction power on hard floors | 99/100 |
| Suction power on short pile carpet | 90/100 |
| Suction power on long pile carpet | 88/100 |
| Mopping performance on liquids | Satisfactory |
| Mopping performance dried up | Good to very good |
| Edge wiping performance | Very good |
| Corner cleaning | Very good |
| Obstacle detection | Very good |
Conclusion
With the DJI ROMO, drone and camera specialist DJI has made an impressive debut in the robot vacuum cleaner segment. The smart household helper scores in almost all disciplines – from the exceptionally strong suction power of 25,000 pascals, to the precise navigation with lateral LiDAR system, to the outstanding obstacle detection, which is unparalleled thanks to dual fisheye cameras and DJI’s own algorithms. The transparent design is certainly a matter of taste, but brings a breath of fresh air to a product category that often seems uniform.
Technically, the ROMO is impressive across the board: the app integration is exemplary, the mapping is detailed and the operation is pleasantly intuitive. The cleaning station also provides a well thought-out overall package with suction, washing and drying functions, even if the obligation to use the in-house cleaning agents is somewhat limiting. In terms of mopping performance, the ROMO shows light and shade. While it copes well with dried stains and edges, it has its weaknesses with larger amounts of liquid due to its design. This is where the advantages of models with a squeegee roller become apparent.
PRO
CONTRA The DJI ROMO is a technologically impressive robot vacuum that is particularly impressive in terms of navigation, obstacle detection and suction power.
DJI ROMO
Design & processing
Ease of use
Suction power
Wiping performance
Navigation
Obstacle detection
Equipment
Price-performance ratio
93/100
