There are signs that Dyson has a new robot vacuum cleaner launch on the horizon. There’s no official word out from the brand but some details have already emerged.

So far, Dyson has released two robot vacuum cleaners: the 360 Eye and 360 Heurist. Their hardware had key points of difference from other brands’ more traditional robot vacuum cleaners. Notably, they’re taller and narrower than your average disc-shaped cleaner. They also feature caterpillar tracks over their wheels.

The 360 Heurist was an upgrade to the Eye: its navigation is smarter, and it has better mapping and more options for customised cleaning and scheduling. So, what will the new robot cleaner bring to (a successful vacuuming under) the table? Here’s what we know.

When will the new Dyson robot vacuum cleaner be released?

As yet, there is no release date set. What information is available has come via The Verge, which discovered that Dyson had filed details of a new product with the FCC. On the filed documents, the new robot vacuum cleaner is just called the RBO3. The FCC filing could indicate that the brand is ready to launch the machine in the US.

In which countries will the new robot vacuum cleaner be available?

We don’t know for sure. However, the Dyson 360 Heurist was not launched in all countries as its design was considered to be incompatible with some styles of living. So it was available to buy in much of Asia and Europe but not in the US, as it wouldn’t work well in the average US home.

This makes us speculate that the new cleaner will have wide availability, although we believe it will be optimised for the US market. 

How much will the new robot vacuum cost?

As the 360 Heurist costs £799.99 in the UK, we’d expect the new robot vacuum cleaner to come in at a similar – or slightly higher – price point. In the US, we would anticipate a price point of $1,099.99 or more.

What are the RBO3’s features?

Prior to The Verge’s finding, rumours had begun to swirl about the features that might appear in the next Dyson robot vacuum. Publications including Tech Radar pointed to a patent filed by Dyson for a robot with stair-climbing ability, while other outlets highlighted a patent for a robot with a claw that could grasp objects and potentially open cupboards and drawers.

While Dyson did confirm that it had filed the patents, it made it clear that these are for projects in the not-so-near future – which may or may not even make it to market. We therefore shouldn’t be expecting our next robot vacuum to climb up the stairs in the morning to deliver us a cup of tea before it starts cleaning. (Still, that’s obviously the dream.)

What’s much more solid is the FCC filing, which gives a good sense of what we can expect from a Dyson robot vacuum in the near future.

There are some similarities to previous models. The colourway, for example, is familiar: vivid, coblat blue and nickel, with red accents. The new vac also appears to retain the Heurist’s 360-degree camera and LED lighting ring, which allows it to navigate in the dark.

But there are changes from previous models, the most obvious of which is the shape of the robot vacuum itself, which seems wider and shorter. It also has one flat side, so it has more in common with the Neato Botvac than previous Dyson vacs – superficially, at least.

And, as the label on the top of the machine says, the new vac will be powered by one of Dyson’s new “Hyperdymium” motors. This is the name that Dyson has given to its new brushless motor, which allows it to create powerful, lightweight machines.

We’ll update this article as new information emerges. In the meantime, to find out what we thought of the Dyson 360 Heurist, check out our hands-on review. Or, for more options, have a look at our round-up of the best robot vacuum cleaners we’ve tested.