DJI’s new robovac can climb obstacles, vacuum quietly, and claims much improved privacy

DJI announced the Romo 2 series robovacs, featuring improved navigation, quieter operation, and a new Local Data Mode designed to address privacy concerns from the first Romo's security flaws. The Romo 2 can climb obstacles up to 4cm, offers 36,000Pa suction on carpet, and reduces volume by 85 percent. Local Data Mode will roll out in Q4 this year, with no US launch expected due to restrictions.

DJI has announced a second generation of its Romo robovac. The Romo 2 series https://www.romo.tech/uk/romo-p2 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 /tech/877012/dji-romo-review-robot-vacuum-drone-mop serious security flaws /tech/879088/dji-romo-hack-vulnerability-remote-control-camera-access-mqtt . DJI’s new robovac can climb obstacles, vacuum quietly, and claims much improved privacy Local Data Mode is DJI’s answer to the first Romo’s security crisis. Local Data Mode is DJI’s answer to the first Romo’s security crisis. 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 /tech/986178/ifa-2026-the-biggest-tech-and-gadget-announcements alongside the Osmo 360 II /tech/987562/dji-osmo-360-ii-camera-global-launch action camera, which is also skipping the US. Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.