DJI Romo P Review: Drone Tech Meets Robot Vacuum (Worth Buying?)

FROM THE SKIES TO THE LIVING ROOM: IS DJI’S ROMO P READY FOR PRIME TIME?

DJI is the undisputed king of the air. If you see a drone capturing a cinematic sweep of a mountain range or a high-speed chase, there is a very high probability it has DJI’s hardware and flight-stabilization software inside it. So, when the company announced it was bringing its obstacle-avoidance expertise down to earth with its first robot vacuum, the Romo P, the tech world leaned in. We expected a device that could navigate a cluttered living room with the same grace a Mavic Pro navigates a forest.

Instead, early testing suggests DJI might be experiencing some turbulence on the ground. While the Romo P is packed with the kind of high-end specs that make a tech enthusiast’s heart race, it currently suffers from a fundamental flaw: you simply cannot trust it to do its job while you are out of the room. For a device whose entire value proposition is autonomy, that is a significant hurdle to clear.

THE BRAINS BEHIND THE BRUSHES: WHY THE TRUST IS MISSING

On paper, the DJI Romo P is a beast. It features a self-cleaning base station that empties dust and washes mop pads, high-performance suction, and the kind of LiDAR navigation you would expect from a company that mastered spatial awareness in three dimensions. However, as robot vacuum expert Jen Tuohy and other early reviewers have noted, the translation from air to floor has been rocky.

The "trust issue" isn't about the hardware—the Romo P is built like a tank and cleans effectively when it’s actually moving. The problem lies in the software. Early units have been plagued by navigation "hallucinations." We are seeing reports of the vacuum getting trapped in wide-open spaces, failing to recognize transitions between hard floors and carpets, and occasionally losing its map entirely.

In the drone world, a software glitch means a crash. In the vacuum world, it means you come home to find the robot spinning in a dark corner of the dining room while your kitchen floor remains covered in crumbs. For a premium product, this level of babysitting is a dealbreaker. DJI has built its reputation on reliability in high-stakes environments; seeing them struggle with the 2D layout of a standard apartment is a surprising twist.

A EUROPEAN EXCLUSIVE (FOR NOW)

If you are reading this in the United States and reaching for your wallet, you can put it away for a moment. As of February 2026, the DJI Romo P is currently only available in the European market. DJI has remained characteristically quiet about a North American release date.

This geographic gatekeeping is likely a strategic move. By launching in a smaller market first, DJI can use European early adopters as a massive beta-testing group to iron out the software kinks mentioned above. If they can solve the navigation bugs through firmware updates, a US launch could be formidable. But right now, American consumers are looking at a "coming soon" sign that has no expiration date.

BETTER BETS: PROVEN ALTERNATIVES YOU CAN BUY TODAY

If you need a flagship robot vacuum right now—perhaps for a high-stakes gift or to reclaim your own weekends—you don't have to wait for DJI to find its land legs. Several established players have already perfected the "set it and forget it" experience that DJI is still chasing.

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra If you want the absolute pinnacle of current technology, this is it. It offers 10,000Pa suction and a robotic arm that reaches into corners where other vacuums fail. Most importantly, Roborock’s reactive obstacle avoidance is currently the gold standard. It won’t get "lost" under your sofa.

The iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max For those who value simplicity and a long track record of reliability, iRobot remains the safe bet. Their "Dirt Detective" software is excellent at prioritizing the messiest rooms, and their customer support and parts availability in the US are unmatched. It may not have the "cool factor" of a drone company’s vacuum, but it actually finishes the job every single time.

The Dreame L20 Ultra Dreame has been a disruptor in this space for two years, offering many of the same high-end features as DJI—like extendable mops and massive base stations—but with a much more mature software ecosystem. It’s often available at a lower price point than the Roborock, making it the "smart money" pick.

THE GIFT-GIVER’S GUIDANCE: BUY, WAIT, OR SKIP?

Choosing a high-end appliance as a gift is a risky move, especially when the technology is this new. Here is how to decide if the Romo P (or its competitors) should be on your list.

For the Die-Hard Tech Early Adopter: BUY (If you’re in Europe). If the recipient is the type of person who loves being the first to own a new category of gadget and actually enjoys troubleshooting software bugs, the Romo P is a fascinating gift. It’s a conversation piece with a pedigree, and they’ll enjoy the "wow" factor of owning DJI’s first floor-bot.

For the Busy Parent or Pet Owner: SKIP. This group needs reliability, not a new hobby. A vacuum that requires you to go find it and reset its map every three days is an annoyance, not a help. For this person, stick to the Roborock S8 series. It works out of the box without the drama.

For Everyone Else: WAIT. The robot vacuum market is currently in a hyper-innovation phase. DJI’s entry is a sign that things are getting competitive, which usually leads to price drops and rapid feature improvements across the board. Unless your current vacuum just died, waiting six months to see if DJI fixes its software—or if a US version is announced—is the wisest move.

FINAL VERDICT

DJI’s Romo P is a beautiful piece of hardware that currently lacks the digital maturity to compete with the industry leaders. It is the classic "Version 1.0" product: ambitious, slightly flawed, and overflowing with potential.

Moving from the sky to the floor turns out to be harder than it looks. While DJI knows how to avoid a tree at 30 miles per hour, avoiding a stray power cord or a shaggy rug at a snail’s pace is a different kind of challenge. Until the software catches up to the hardware, the Romo P remains a high-tech curiosity rather than a household essential. For now, keep your eyes on the skies—and maybe keep your manual vacuum handy just in case.