19 award-winning photos taken by drones

Mar 10, 2017

This article is published in collaboration with Business Insider.

The 2016 SkyPixel Photo Contest has recognised the most beautiful and breathtaking aerial images taken by drone Image: Sky Pixel

Alison Millington

Lifestyle Editor, Business Insider UK

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The 2016 SkyPixel Photo Contest has recognised the most beautiful and breathtaking aerial images taken by drone from around the world.

Along with Chinese technology company DJI, aerial photography community SkyPixel held a two-month long global competition, receiving over 27,000 entries from 131 countries around the world.

A judging panel, made up of photojournalists from TIME and Condé Nast Traveler as well as prize-winning photographers, selected the winning photo as well as first, second, and third place winners in three different categories — "beauty," "360," and "drones in use."

It also awarded prizes for the most popular photos, judged by the most "likes" they received on SkyPixel.

Photo of the Year was awarded to "Fishermen close to the net," taken by Ge Zheng in Fujian Province in China. "Reflections, colours, and the unique aerial perspective create a startling composition from netting, poles, and water," according to SkyPixel.

Scroll down to see the 19 drone photos that have been named the most incredible in the world.

Grand Prize

Image: Ge Zheng/ Sky Pixel

First Prize: Beauty, Professional

Image: Hambing Wang/ Sky Pixel

Second Prize: Beauty, Professional

Image: dixonltduser/SkyPixel

Third Prize: Beauty, Professional

Image: Heng Li/SkyPixel

First Prize: Drones in use, Professional

Image: Roman Neimann/SkyPixel

Second Prize: Drones in use, Professional

Image: HackerSundy/SkyPixel

Third Prize: Drones in use, Professional

Image: Norman Nollau/SkyPixel

First Prize: 360, Professional

Image: Jingwen Chen/SkyPixel

Second Prize: 360, Professional

Image: Paul Oostveen/SkyPixel

Third Prize: 360, Professional

Image: Shoushan/SkyPixel

First Prize: Beauty, Amateur

Image: Chenghan/SkyPixel

Second Prize: Beauty, Amateur

Image: Mauro Pagliai/SkyPixel

Third Prize: Beauty, Amateur

Image: Canloker/SkyPixel

First Prize: Drones in use, Amateur

Image: Fifa/SkyPixel

Second Prize: Drones in use, Amateur

Image: lili cui/SkyPixel

Third Prize: Drones in use, Amateur

Image: Lingdamowang_user/SkyPixel

First Prize: 360, Amateur

Image: Wen Li/SkyPixel

Second Prize: 360, Amateur

Image: Jiuyao/SkyPixel

Third Prize: 360, Amateur

Image: 4950444_user/SkyPixel

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