Comprehensive Review of the DJI Romo P Robovac

Table of Contents

DJI Romo P faces trust issues over security flaws

  • DJI’s first flagship robovac, the Romo P, pairs excellent vacuuming and capable mopping with a striking transparent design and a highly automated base station.
  • Its biggest problem isn’t cleaning—it’s trust: a recently exploited vulnerability allowed outsiders to view inside owners’ homes via the robot’s remote video feature.
  • DJI says the specific flaw has been patched, but the episode underscores the risk of putting a cloud-connected camera and microphone on wheels in private spaces.
  • At roughly €1,899 (about $2,250), the Romo P is priced above many strong competitors, making the security baggage harder to justify.

Security and Privacy Considerations
What happened, in plain terms: a security vulnerability was exploited to access the Romo’s remote video feed and view inside homes. DJI says that specific issue has been patched, and reported follow-up testing indicated the patch worked—but the broader question (whether you want a cloud-connected camera and microphone roaming your home) remains a personal risk/comfort call.
Freshness note: security posture can change with firmware/app updates, so it’s worth re-checking the current remote-view settings and update history at the time you set the robot up.

Introduction to the DJI Romo P Robovac

DJI is best known for drones, gimbals, and imaging tech—so its move into robot vacuums was always going to be a test of whether aerial autonomy translates to the living room. The company launched its first robovacs in Europe in October, with the Romo P positioned as the top-of-the-line model. It’s a combo vacuum-and-mop designed to run with minimal human involvement, anchored by a large, feature-packed base station.

In day-to-day use, the Romo P often feels less like a “robot vacuum” and more like a domestic appliance ecosystem: it maps quickly, cleans methodically, and returns to a dock that empties, washes, and dries. The catch is that it also brings cameras, a microphone, and cloud features into the home—right as DJI faces heightened scrutiny in some markets over data and security concerns.

Sensing, Planning, and Privacy Trade-offs
A quick way to set expectations for “DJI DNA” in a robovac:
– Sensing first: DJI’s strength is fusing cameras + ranging sensors to understand space.
– Planning second: once the map is reliable, the robot can clean methodically (less random wandering, fewer repeats).
– The trade-off: the same camera/mic features that enable smarter navigation and remote monitoring can raise the stakes if cloud access controls fail.

Key Features of the Romo P

DJI’s pitch is straightforward: drone-grade sensing and navigation, premium automation, and a design meant to be seen rather than hidden.

How this review is grounded

This write-up reflects hands-on use observations and reported testing details from The Verge’s coverage of the Romo P, including the described security incident and follow-up verification that the specific vulnerability appeared patched. Where the article discusses broader privacy risk, it’s framed as an implication of the Romo’s cloud-connected camera and microphone rather than a claim about undisclosed technical findings.

Feature What it does (as described) Why it matters in real homes
Transparent base + “displayable” design A flagship look that’s meant to be seen, not hidden Aesthetics can be a buying factor, but it also makes the (large) dock harder to ignore in small spaces
Self-cleaning base station Charges, empties dust, refills/drains water, washes/dries pads, cleans parts of the dock Cuts day-to-day intervention; shifts effort to occasional tank/bag upkeep and periodic inspection
Vacuum + mop combo modes Vacuum then mop, or do both; can run vacuum-only or mop-only Lets you tailor routines (quick vac vs kitchen mop) without swapping devices
Edge/corner reach Extendable side brush and mop pad Helps with the “along baseboards and corners” problem where many bots leave a visible line
Cross-contamination avoidance Brushes/pads can lift to avoid spreading wet grime Reduces streaking and “wet gunk” when switching between vacuuming and mopping
Hot pad washing Base can wash pads at roughly 60°C (140°F) Better for greasy kitchen zones and reducing lingering odors compared to cold rinses
App granularity Tune suction, water usage, passes, zones, schedules Useful if you have pets, sand, or high-traffic areas that need stronger settings
Camera + mic + remote video Enables remote monitoring and two-way audio Convenience feature with higher privacy/security stakes if access controls fail

Self-Cleaning Base Station

The Romo P’s base station is the centerpiece—and physically, it’s hard to miss. Reviewers have compared its footprint to a mini-fridge, which can be a dealbreaker in smaller homes.

Functionally, it’s a major upgrade over basic charging docks. The station:
– charges the robot
– automatically empties the onboard dust bin into a larger bag
– drains and refills the robot’s water tank
– washes and dries the mopping pads
– cleans parts of the dock itself to reduce odors and mold

That automation meaningfully reduces how often you need to intervene, though it doesn’t eliminate maintenance. You still have to add fresh water, empty dirty water, and eventually replace the dust bag. It’s also loud at key moments: dust-emptying can spike to around 63dB, and pad-drying can run for hours at a steady, noticeable hum.

Mopping Functionality

The Romo P isn’t a token “drag a wet cloth” mop. It uses spinning pads and can vacuum and mop in sequence—or do both at once—while lifting components to reduce cross-contamination. It also extends a side brush and a mop pad to better reach edges and corners, an area where many robovacs still underperform.

There’s even a degrease mode that applies cleaning solution to the pads for cooking splatter and stubborn kitchen grime, and the base can wash pads at roughly 60°C (140°F). Still, it’s not magic: in testing, it failed to remove a line of semi-dried ketchup even after multiple passes, a reminder that some messes still need manual cleaning.

Pricing and Market Position

The Romo P’s price is as attention-grabbing as its transparent shell: about €1,899 (roughly $2,250). DJI also sells a cheaper Romo S at around €1,299 (about $1,500), with fewer premium flourishes.

At this level, DJI isn’t competing with midrange robovacs—it’s fighting the best from Roborock, Dreame, and Ecovacs, many of which cost hundreds less while delivering broadly similar day-to-day cleaning. The value question becomes unavoidable: for the cost of a Romo P, some buyers could instead pay for periodic human cleaning for a long stretch of time, and get more than automated cleaning.

Option Typical price mentioned in this article What you’re paying for Main trade-off
DJI Romo P €1,899 (about $2,250) Flagship automation + transparent design + strong navigation Highest trust burden (camera/mic + cloud) and highest price
DJI Romo S €1,299 (about $1,500) Similar concept with fewer premium flourishes Better value, but the same category-level privacy questions still apply
Premium competitors (Roborock / Dreame / Ecovacs) Often “hundreds less” (many strong models below this tier) Comparable day-to-day cleaning for less money You may give up some of DJI’s design/automation specifics; app/ecosystem differs
Periodic human cleaning Roughly comparable spend over time (depends heavily on local rates) Deep cleaning beyond vacuum/mop Not autonomous; scheduling and access logistics

Security Vulnerabilities and Trust Issues

The Romo P’s defining controversy is not performance—it’s privacy and security.

A recently exploited vulnerability allowed third parties to access the robot’s remote video feed and see inside owners’ homes. DJI says the issue has been closed, and subsequent testing suggested the patch worked. But the incident is hard to shrug off because the Romo is, by design, a device with a camera and microphone that moves through private spaces.

Even with safeguards like PIN protection and audible announcements when remote viewing starts, the episode highlights a core reality of modern “smart” cleaning robots: the more sensors and remote features they add, the higher the stakes when something goes wrong. For some households, that risk will outweigh the convenience—especially at a premium price.

Robot Privacy Setup Steps
A practical “trust check” you can do before (or right after) setup:
1) Decide whether you actually need remote video: if you won’t use it weekly, turn it off.
2) Verify the robot’s remote-view controls: confirm PIN protection is enabled and test that the robot audibly announces when remote viewing starts.
3) Reduce exposure by default: avoid placing the dock where the robot routinely faces bedrooms/kids’ areas during idle time.
4) Treat updates as part of ownership: after firmware/app updates, re-check that remote video is still disabled (or still PIN-protected) and that announcements still trigger.
5) Watch for “surprise” capabilities: if the app adds new cloud features (new sharing, new remote modes), pause and re-evaluate whether they’re worth enabling.
Checkpoint: if anyone in the household is uncomfortable with a mobile camera/mic even when “disabled,” that discomfort is a valid signal to choose a model without those features.

Performance on Various Surfaces

Overall, the Romo P is a strong cleaner, particularly on hard floors, and it benefits from modern, methodical navigation rather than the old “bump-and-run” chaos.

Surface / scenario What was observed What to do with that info
Polished concrete / hard floors (dry debris) Oatmeal test improved with higher suction and/or extra passes If you track in sand or have pets, plan on max suction or 2 passes in high-traffic zones
Edges and corners Stronger than many bots due to extendable side brush/mop pad Good fit for baseboards and kitchen kick-plates where crumbs collect
Deep-pile rugs Can leave debris even after multiple high-power passes; upright vac still better If you have lots of deep carpet, expect a “maintenance clean,” not a deep clean
Plush carpet traction Especially plush rugs can defeat traction Consider no-go zones for the worst rugs or remove them during scheduled cleans
Wet/sticky kitchen messes Semi-dried ketchup line wasn’t removed after multiple passes Don’t expect miracles on dried sauces; spot-clean manually before it sets
Obstacles on carpet vs hard floor A cable could be avoided on hard floor but run over on a rug Low-contrast + soft surfaces can reduce detection reliability; pre-pickup helps
Reflective / odd objects Reflective pet bowl could confuse avoidance If something gets shoved around, relocate it or mark a no-go zone

Cleaning Effectiveness on Hard Floors

On hard surfaces, the Romo P can keep floors consistently tidy with minimal oversight. In testing with scattered debris like oatmeal on polished concrete, results improved significantly with higher suction modes and/or extra passes—common behavior for robovacs, but worth noting if your home regularly sees sand, pet hair, or heavy foot traffic.

Its edge and corner performance is a standout thanks to the extendable side brush and mop pad, and it can be configured with granular controls in the app: suction power, water usage, number of passes, and room-by-room routines.

Challenges with Carpets

Carpet is where the Romo P looks more like a very good robovac than a category leader. On deep-pile rugs, it can leave behind debris even after multiple passes at high power, and traction can become a problem on especially plush surfaces. It may also behave inconsistently with obstacles on carpet—avoiding a cable on hard floor, then repeatedly running over the same cable on a rug.

It’s also prone to occasional misreads: some rugs get pushed into piles, lifted corners can be flagged as obstacles, and reflective objects (like a shiny pet bowl) can confuse avoidance behavior.

DJI’s strongest advantage is the one you’d expect: sensing and navigation derived from its drone expertise.

The Romo P uses dual fisheye vision sensors and wide-angle LiDAR to map spaces quickly—reportedly in under five minutes in one home—and it generally avoids common household clutter like socks, shoes, dog toys, and larger “do not touch” objects. It also reliably avoids stairs and can handle some tricky thresholds that older robovacs would get stuck on.

But “millimeter-level” claims have limits in real homes. Small items like coins and buttons can still get run over, low-contrast flat objects may be missed, and the robot can sometimes label harmless features as obstacles. Mapping can also be imperfect: swapping a rug and remapping led to misidentification in at least one test, requiring manual map edits.

Understanding Navigation Variability
Why navigation can look “amazing” one day and “confusing” the next:
– Map layer (LiDAR + vision): builds the room layout fast; changes like swapping rugs can require manual correction.
– Detection layer (contrast + height + material): thin, low-contrast items (coins/buttons/cards) are easier to miss than bulky clutter.
– Surface layer (hard floor vs rug): soft/uneven textures can change how sensors “see” edges and how the robot drives, which can affect cable avoidance.
– Decision layer (avoid vs push through): the robot may choose to route around uncertain objects—or misclassify harmless features as obstacles.
Use this lens when troubleshooting: if the issue only happens on rugs, it’s often surface + detection, not “the map is broken.”

User Experience and Maintenance

Living with the Romo P is largely about how much you value automation—and how much you can tolerate the physical and acoustic presence of the base station.

On the plus side, the system is close to “set it and forget it” compared with budget models. Over dozens of runs and hundreds of square meters cleaned, the robot and dock held up well cosmetically, and interruptions were relatively rare—typically caused by fabric items like scarves or blankets getting sucked in. When that happens, the robot can send an alert with an image of the obstruction.

Maintenance is less frequent, not nonexistent. Water tanks still need attention, wastewater can smell when emptied, and the dock’s self-cleaning reduces odors but doesn’t eliminate the need for periodic inspection. Noise is also part of the package: the robot itself is reasonably quiet for the category, but the dock’s emptying and long drying cycles are hard to ignore.

Routine Care and Upkeep
A simple ownership rhythm (so “nearly autonomous” stays true):
– After each mop-heavy day: quick glance at the dock area for splashes; make sure pads are drying normally.
– Weekly: top up fresh water and empty dirty water as needed; check for hair buildup around brushes.
– Every 2–4 weeks (household-dependent): inspect the dust bag level and the robot’s intake for clogs.
– Every 3 months: inspect the base station as recommended; look for residue in wash areas and any odor sources.
– Anytime it starts missing spots: run a remap or review room boundaries, especially after moving rugs/furniture.

Conclusion and Recommendations

As a first attempt, the DJI Romo P is impressive: it cleans well, navigates confidently, and delivers the kind of high-automation experience that makes older robovacs feel obsolete. If this were only a cleaning story, it would be easy to recommend—albeit with a warning about price.

But it isn’t only a cleaning story. That vulnerability changes the buying calculus. Even if the specific flaw is patched, the Romo P has already demonstrated how invasive a failure can be when a mobile camera and microphone are involved.

For buyers who want premium automation without the same level of baggage, the market is full of strong alternatives at lower prices. For those still drawn to DJI’s design and autonomy, the Romo S may offer a more sensible value—provided you’re comfortable with the broader risk profile of cloud-connected home robotics.

Choosing the Right Romo Model
A practical call based on what this review emphasizes:
– Buy the Romo P if: you want top-tier automation + you actively value the transparent design + you’re comfortable managing (or disabling) remote video features.
– Consider the Romo S (or a rival) if: you want strong cleaning and automation but don’t want to pay extra for the flagship flourishes.
– Skip this generation if: the idea of a cloud-connected camera/microphone moving through private spaces is a non-starter for your household—because no amount of cleaning performance will offset that discomfort.

Final Thoughts on the DJI Romo Series

A Blend of Innovation and Caution

DJI brought real engineering ambition to a crowded category: fast mapping, strong obstacle avoidance, thoughtful edge cleaning, and a base station that meaningfully reduces daily chores. The Romo P looks and feels like a flagship.

Yet the security episode is not a footnote—it’s central to what this product is. A robovac that can see and hear inside a home must earn trust the hard way, and DJI’s early stumble makes that trust difficult to grant.

The Future of Robotic Cleaning

The Romo P points to where robotic cleaning is headed: more autonomy, more sensors, more remote features, and less hands-on maintenance. The uncomfortable parallel is that these same upgrades increase the consequences of security mistakes.

DJI’s debut shows the promise of drone-grade robotics indoors. It also shows the cost of getting security wrong—even once—when the robot’s job is to roam the most private spaces people have.

Viewed through the lens of building and operating cloud-connected systems in regulated, high-stakes environments, Martin Weidemann (weidemann.tech) tends to weigh “works great” against operational trust: when a device includes remote video and audio inside a home, security execution becomes part of the product—not an optional extra.

This review reflects publicly available information at the time of writing, including reported observations, a security incident, and claims about a patched vulnerability. Product behavior, pricing, and software features may vary by region and can change with updates. If you’re considering a purchase, re-check the current app settings and remote-view options during setup.

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