DJI’s leap from skies to floors represents a bold step into the fiercely competitive world of home robotics. Fresh off the heels of its first 360-degree action camera, the Shenzhen-based drone juggernaut has unveiled the DJI Romo—its inaugural robot vacuum series that marries aerial-grade sensing with a design so transparent, you’ll see every gear spin inside. Debuts in China on August 6, the Romo lineup comprises three distinct models—S, A, and P—each borrowing critical navigation technologies from DJI’s flagship drones to map, detect, and deftly avoid obstacles as slender as 2mm.

At first glance, the Romo P looks like something out of a sci-fi concept art gallery. Unlike most robot vacuums that stick to opaque plastic shells, DJI’s transparent design philosophy dives deep: the Romo A sports a clear top panel, while the Romo P goes fully see-through—including its docking station—inviting both admiration and the nagging question of how it’ll handle months of dust buildup. The entry-level Romo S, in contrast, opts for classic opacity, masking its inner workings in a smooth white finish.

Under those transparent domes, the Romo employs a “binocular fisheye vision sensor” paired with three wide-angle laser modules—a combination DJI touts as capable of pinpointing objects thinner than a playing card or stray charging cable. This sensor array feeds data into a machine-learning perception algorithm, differentiating between benign debris (like crumbs) and potential troublemakers (think pet waste), and dynamically tailoring cleaning strategies to each.

Performance-wise, the Romo doesn’t skimp. With up to 25,000 Pa of suction—nearly double that of iRobot’s top-end Roomba Max 705—it teams anti-tangle double-roller brushes with extendable side sweepers. Two spinning mop pads automatically lift when transitioning from hard floors to carpets, while the P model even carries a secondary compartment for antibacterial or degreaser solutions, letting you reserve tougher cleans for the kitchen or keep bathroom floors germ-free.

Each Romo model returns home to a multifunctional dock that empties its dustbin, rinses brushes, refills cleaning fluid, and charges the robot in about 2½ hours. Although auto-empty docks are no longer groundbreaking, DJI’s version flaunts that same transparent motif, offering a window into every rinse cycle—assuming you don’t mind seeing trapped hairs swirl in plain view.

Behind the scenes, DJI leverages path-planning algorithms honed in its drones to generate efficient cleaning routes tailored to your home’s unique layout. Crucially, all maps and footage remain stored locally on the Romo unit—no cloud upload required—addressing privacy concerns that dog many other smart vacuums.

Beyond sweeping and mopping, the Romo doubles as a roaming security camera. Owners can issue voice directives such as “clean the living room” or “spot-check the hallway,” then watch live video feeds from the onboard cameras and even talk through a two-way speaker. It’s an intriguing mashup of cleaning and home monitoring, though how often users will swap between chores and check-ins remains to be seen.

DJI has pegged Chinese pricing at CNY 4,699 (about $654 USD) for the S and CNY 5,399 (about $752 USD) for the A models, and CNY 6,799 (around $947 USD) for the fully transparent P. While a “later this year” global release is anticipated, DJI hasn’t confirmed whether the Romo will land in the United States or set its international price tags. With lingering concerns over potential U.S. import restrictions on DJI products, stateside availability could face unexpected delays.

DJI’s entry into robotic home appliances pits it against established players like iRobot, Ecovacs, Xiaomi, and Roborock—firms that together held roughly 61 percent of the global market in 2023. Whether DJI’s fusion of drone-grade obstacle avoidance and transparent design will win over consumers accustomed to tried-and-true cleaning bots remains an open question, but one thing’s clear: the world’s largest drone maker is determined to stake its claim on the ground as well as in the sky.

As DJI’s transparent bot creeps into homes later this year, we’ll soon learn whether clear shells and drone-level smarts translate into truly spotless performance.