DJI, the Drone Giant, Enters Robot Vacuum Cleaner Market, Sparking Industry Buzz
Recently, DJI, the dominant force in drones, entered the robot vacuum cleaner market, drawing significant attention. What is DJI's pricing strategy for its robot vacuum cleaner? How do its features compare to competitors? Why did it choose this specific time to enter the market, and can it disrupt the industry landscape?
On the morning of the 12th, on Sohu Video APP's "Follow Feed," Danny You, a 20-year veteran of the cleaning appliance industry and General Manager of Suzhou Rongcai Innovation Technology Co., Ltd., joined the Sohu Finance live stream. He shared exclusive frontline information and discussed hot topics surrounding DJI's market entry. Beyond the DJI robot vacuum cleaner, You also analyzed the overall market structure and technological trends, offering consumers reference advice for purchasing robot vacuum cleaner products.
DJI Robot Vacuum Cleaner Initial Shipment: 10,000 Units;
Some Features Lag Behind Top Competitors
Sohu Finance: First, could you introduce the situation with DJI's robot vacuum cleaner?
Danny You: The DJI robot vacuum cleaner was officially launched on August 6th. Based on information from the supply chain, DJI likely started planning for this sector over four years ago. The product underwent several major revisions during development but wasn't released until now. Supply chain sources indicate DJI's initial shipment was around 10,000 units. Due to high interest, these 10,000-plus units have almost sold out.
The models released this year include one with a transparent casing and another with a white design. The features are fairly standard without particularly outstanding aspects. A current highlight is the obstacle avoidance function; the industry perceives DJI might have an edge over competitors here, mainly in terms of quicker responsiveness. Other features, like the dual-roller brush mopping system, extendable mopping arms, and charging dock, are quite conventional.
Frankly, looking at the overall functionality, this robot vacuum cleaner does not surpass the current leading brands; in fact, it seems somewhat behind in some areas.
Regarding mapping: in very large rooms, the DJI robot vacuum cleaner might lose its map positioning, potentially failing to find its charging dock or return home. It might also leave some stubborn stains uncleaned. While the obstacle avoidance is decent, minor issues exist. For example, while it can recognize pet waste, its relatively long side brush might accidentally sweep over it.
Sohu Finance: Can you elaborate on where its obstacle avoidance excels?
Danny You: At launch, I watched some videos of the DJI robot vacuum cleaner. Its agility was noticeably higher. Many competitors rely on simple back-and-forth ("bounce") navigation patterns and can't react quickly. Besides the standard patterns, the DJI robot vacuum cleaner can perform targeted cleaning on specific stains. It has an algorithmic advantage, primarily relying on high-performance chip computing, but this also brings issues.
First, increased costs lead to a higher sales price. Second, while there's an advantage, it doesn't create a significant gap from current industry competitors because the robot vacuum cleaner is an "unperceived" product. Whether it finishes cleaning in 3 hours or 5 hours makes little difference to the user experience. Although there are technical improvements, users don't tangibly perceive them. Moreover, brands like Roborock and Narwal already perform very well under current standards.
High Pricing Strategy: Premium Model Priced Over ￥7000, Standard Model Over ￥4000
Sohu Finance: What do you think of DJI's pricing strategy for its robot vacuum cleaner?
Danny You: DJI's pricing is quite aggressive. Its flagship model (P version) is priced over ￥7000, while the standard model (S version) is over ￥4000. Currently, top competitors' flagship robot vacuum cleaner models are priced between ￥4000-￥5000. DJI's pricing clearly positions itself in the premium segment. Why set it so high? Perhaps DJI intends for the ￥4000+ S version to be the volume driver, making the higher-priced P version make the S seem more cost-effective by comparison.
Sohu Finance: Is the transparent casing an innovation by DJI?
Danny You: The industry is most familiar with Apple's Mac transparent casing. Over the years, transparent casings have appeared on phones, power banks, etc., offering a wow factor for tech enthusiasts. However, some female friends I know find it a bit "creepy." So this design caters more to DJI's existing fan base or male tech enthusiasts. The white model, well... it bears a 90% resemblance to Roborock's P20. I don't quite understand why, given the P20 has been out for a while, DJI would release a robot vacuum cleaner with such a similar design?
