Too frequently associated solely with warfare, the invention and rollout of drone technology over the past few years has proved a controversial topic around the world. Yet drones do also present exciting new opportunities in arts such as photography, enabling photographers to capture landscapes and experiences from once-unattainable, breathtaking new angles. The International Drone Photography Contest is now in its third year and this year’s entries—which are welcomed by everyone from seasoned professionals to amateur drone enthusiasts—were judged by a panel of experts including National Geographic Deputy Director Patrick Witty as well as Emanuela Ascoli, Photo editor of National Geographic France and Dronestagram. The competition is split up into three categories—travel, adventure/sports, and nature/wildlife—and as you can see from this year’s winners, the results are pretty spectacular.
Travel
- 3rd Place: Summer camp of Gran Canaria by Karolis Janulis
- 2nd Place: Cable Beach by Todd Kennedy
- 1st Place: Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, Umbria, Italy by fcattuto
Sports/Adventure
- 3rd Place: Chugach Mountain Range, Alaska by High Angle Shot
- 2nd Place: Complejo Acuático Norte de Santander by losmanesdeldrone
- 1st Place: Moab Rock Climbing by Maxseigal
Nature/Wildlife
- 3rd Place: Piton de la fournaise, Volcano by Jonathan Payet
- 2nd Place: Swarm of sheep by Szabolcs Ignacz
- 1st Place: Kalbyris forest Denmark by Mbernholdt
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