Roborock has introduced the RockAqua P1, its first pool cleaning robot, at the IFA 2026 technology trade show. The device marks the company's entry into automated pool maintenance, expanding beyond its traditional home vacuum cleaners.
The RockAqua P1 uses intelligent navigation and vision-based obstacle avoidance to map its surroundings. It cleans the pool floor, walls, the waterline and shallow platforms up to 15 centimeters deep. The vision system allows the robot to identify and navigate around underwater obstacles such as steps and drain covers.
Instead of following a predetermined grid, the robot adapts its cleaning path to the specific shape of the pool. The company said this approach reduces interruptions and prevents the device from repeating routes or getting stuck in complex pool layouts.
Handling underwater debris
Pool environments present different cleaning challenges than home floors, ranging from fine sand to large leaves. To manage this, the RockAqua P1 features a water circulation capacity of more than 25,700 liters per hour. It holds debris in a four-liter basket and uses a dual filtration system with 180 and 70-micron filters.
The robot adjusts its suction power based on the debris it encounters. When approaching large items, it temporarily reduces suction to prevent the water current from pushing the dirt away, then increases power as it gets closer.
A system called ClearVision Smart Patrol Cleaning identifies and prioritizes areas with heavier dirt accumulation. This ensures an even clean across the pool without leaving areas untouched or repeatedly cleaning the same spot.
Battery life and recovery
The RockAqua P1 provides up to 3.5 hours of floor cleaning time on a single charge. Its motor management system adjusts energy consumption depending on pool conditions and the amount of dirt present.
When the cleaning cycle finishes or the battery reaches a critical level, the robot automatically surfaces and waits to be collected. To make retrieval easier, a quick-empty system drains the water as the robot is lifted out of the pool, reducing its weight for transport back to the charging base.
Users can control the RockAqua P1 through a mobile application. The app displays the device's status and allows owners to schedule automatic cleaning routines.
