DJI’s Romo 2 is more agile, quieter, and claims improved privacy

DJI has announced a second generation of its Romo robovac. The Romo 2 series is quieter, more powerful, and better at climbing over small steps and other obstacles. But more importantly for DJI, a new local-only data mode should go some way to reassuring anyone concerned by the first Romo’s serious security flaws.

There are actually two new Romo models, the transparent P2 and the opaque A2. Both benefit from improved navigation, apparently able to avoid cables and other obstacles as small as 2mm in size, as well as transparent objects like mirrors or glass. There’s also “human-like reasoning and concept transfer” that supposedly allows Romo 2 to learn from obstacles it’s encountered in the past and adapt to new objects it encounters.

Two legs on the bottom allow it to climb over single steps up to 4cm (1.5in) in height, or two steps at around double the height. That won’t help it climb a staircase, but it will be able to cross small dividers and thresholds between rooms.

On carpet it can reach up to 36,000Pa of suction, while new brush and mop arms have a longer reach for cleaning sideboards and under furniture. DJI says the Romo 2 is much quieter too, with an 85 percent reduction in volume.

The first Romo is an impressive robot vacuum going by the specs, but that wasn’t enough to overcome huge security flaws which made it possible to access thousands of the robovacs worldwide to expose home floorplans, cameras and microphones, and even full remote control. DJI patched the problems, but by then the reputational damage was done, and we couldn’t quite trust the Romo again.

With that in mind, the Romo 2 has a new Local Data Mode, which DJI calls “a new industry standard for home robotics.” It severs the DJI Home’s app connection with the internet, preventing the syncing of photos or camera feeds. Users can also entirely disable the camera and microphone from the vacuum, and delete any stored data. Local Data Mode will roll out to the Romo 2 in Q4 this year, and DJI has plans to expand it to the first line of Romo models too.

DJI hasn’t yet announced pricing or a release date for the Romo 2. A US launch is unlikely — US restrictions have prevented DJI from launching any of its recent products in the country, and the FCC’s new ban on foreign-made robot vacuums makes a Romo 2 release even less likely. It was announced at IFA alongside the Osmo 360 II action camera, which is also skipping the US.