DJI robot vacuum leak suggests the Roomba rival is getting closer – and could have an unusual design feature

• Company’s first robot vacuum is apparently named DJI Romo
• Both Romo and its docking station pictured in leaked image
• Rumors claim it will sweep and mop using advanced obstacle avoidance

DJI is best known for its drones, gimbals and action cameras, but the Chinese company has been branching out into other areas of late. Last year, for instance, it made a surprise move into e-bikes – and now it seems poised to launch its first robot vacuum cleaner.

We first got a glimpse of a rumored DJI cleaner back at the end of May, with a leaked photo from @OsitaLV showing a palette of boxes bearing an image of a vacuum and docking station and the name “DJI Romo”.

And now, a new image seems to show the device in the flesh. Or the plastic, at least. Serial tech leaker Igor Bogdanov has posted a grainy spy shot of what appears to be the DJI Romo inside its docking station.

And while he offers little in the way of information besides the photo, we can glean one or two intriguing pieces of info regarding the design from the image.

A Nothing-style design?

Perhaps the most obvious and striking styling touch is the fact that both the vacuum and the docking station appear to have a transparent outer casing, revealing much of the inner workings and chambers. And we think the white and gray coloring of the non-transparent parts, along with some orange accent elements, is very stylish and eye-catching too – although of course that’s a subjective matter.

Sadly we’re not learning much about the DJI Romo’s potential capabilities, specifications or features from this leaked photo, but previous speculation has suggested it’ll boast both mop and vacuum functions, automatic self-emptying and powerful obstacle avoidance.

DJI’s drones are well-known for their excellent obstacle-dodging talents, and more recent releases use both vision and Lidar technology to spot and navigate around potential hazards even in low-light conditions. The Romo could well employ similar tech to avoid furniture, pets and other obstacles as it cleans your home.

If the Romo is real, and we strongly suspect it is, it could represent the most exciting new addition to the robot vacuum market in some time. DJI may sense that this market, which is yet to be dominated by a single manufacturer, could be ripe for disruption.

We’ll bring you more updates on the Romo as we get them, but make sure to check out our best robot vacuums guide to see what it could be finding itself competing against.

You might also like

• 4 things I loved about the world's first robovac with a mechanical arm – and 3 that need work
• I test robot vacuums for a living, and this new bot has the best mopping system I've seen
• DJI isn't slowing down: the DJI Mini 5 Pro, DJI Avata 3, and DJI Neo 2 all get mentioned in new leaks