DJI’s first robot vacuum gets launch date in official teaser – and it looks like the Romo is arriving sooner than expected

• Trusted DJI leaker has shared the first teaser trailer for the DJI Romo, from the official Chinese DJI X account
• Suggests a launch date of August 6 for DJI’s first robot vacuum
• We also have better quality images of the unusual-looking robot vacuum

Rumors about DJI’s first-ever robot vacuum – the DJI Romo – have been flying around for some time, but we now have our first official teaser trailer, complete with a projected launch date and some good-quality images showing more clearly what the bot might look like.

The video teaser was shared by regular DJI leaker @JasperEllens, and is apparently taken from the official Chinese DJI Romo account. It shows two versions of the Romo side-by-side, with a date and time: Aug 6, 8pm. That would suggest the launch is happening in under two weeks.

The launch is especially significant because it marks a big change in direction for the brand, which previously has been known for making some of (okay, most of) the best drones on the market.

We have also been treated to some clearer imagery of the robot vacuum in real life, courtesy of a second serial tech leaker, Igor Bogdanov AKA @Quadro_News.

What else do we know about the DJI Romo? Well, I’m pretty sure it won’t be able to fly, so you can put to rest those dreams of a bot soaring up your stairs to clean the bedrooms.

From our peek inside the dock, we can clearly see a dust bag, confirming speculation that there’ll be auto-emptying of dust (far from groundbreaking, but useful nonetheless). Previous speculation has suggested the Romo will also have mop capabilities, although I can’t see anything that looks like a water tank in the dock.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the bot won’t be able to mop, but it does seem to suggest it won’t be able to auto-refill the onboard water tank or clean and dry the mop pads – features that are common among other premium robovacs.

Based on the expertise we know that DJI does have, I’d expect to see powerful object detection and avoidance. The best DJI drones on the market make use of vision technology and LiDAR to navigate with precision, just like modern robovacs do.

An unclear choice

Both the teaser trailer and the supplementary video clip show the robovac with a transparent upper lid, docked in a similarly clear-fronted charge station. Previously, we were unsure whether this transparent plastic was part of a prototype version, but based on this further evidence, it looks like it’ll be part of the model that will go to market – although alongside a version with a more traditional, opaque plastic cover on the dock.

In all my time writing about today’s best robot vacuums, I’ve never seen one that looks quite like this. While the shape of the dock bears a resemblance to the Roborock Qrevo Curv, the transparent casing is, as far as I’m aware, a unique feature. It makes sense that DJI would try and create a distinctive look for its first foray into robovacs, and it’s an aesthetic that the tech market seems to be embracing at the moment. But while putting the insides on display might work for, say, the Nothing Phone 3, I’m not sure it’s as well-suited to a robot vacuum.

While it looks great in these promo photos, I’m not convinced the Roma will remain quite so pristine when the bot is put to work cleaning up. Shiny plastic can attract dust and hair, and it’s rare I’ll test a robot vacuum that doesn’t end up covered in fluff within an hour or two of taking it out of the box.

Nevertheless, I’m excited to see what DJI manages to deliver by way of performance in its first robot vacuum, and it looks like I might not have too long to wait.

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