Bogata Forest, Romania by Calin Stan
Drone sales have dramatically risen over the past few years and reached record highs this holiday season. With an increasing number of drones in the sky, professional photographers and enthusiasts alike can now access perspectives that are typically seen from the seat of an airplane. Image-sharing site Dronestagram, a drone-specific social network with 600 million users, brings us some of the best aerial photography currently on the internet. They’ve proudly rounded off the year with their selections of the 20 best drone photos of 2016.
This past summer, Dronestagram teamed up with National Geographic to reveal winners of their third annual International Drone Photography Contest. Out of more than 6,000 images worldwide, incredible and awe-inspiring scenes were awarded. Many of them are included in the 2016 best drone photos, but marvelous new selections are also featured. They include: a heart-stopping selfie of photographer Brendon Dixon laying over the rushing Huia Dam in New Zealand; intricate patterns in the sand sprawling over Miedzyzdroje Plaża in Poland; and the view over the shoulder of a massive standing Buddha in Ushika, Japan.
Dronists continue to deliver unbelievably stunning shots, ensuring us that the future has definitely arrived—and that it’s worth celebrating. As the Dronestagram Team writes on their website, “On behalf of the whole team, we would like to thank you for showing the world the power of drones! …Now take a deep breath and enjoy.”
Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, Umbria, Italy by Fcatutto
Niagara Falls by Ryanjones
Copacabana, Rio de janeiro, Brazil by Ulysses Padilha
Cable Beach, Australia by Todd Kennedy
Summer Camp, Amadores, Gran Canaria, Spain by Karolis Janulis
Wedding in Huahine, French Polynesia by Helene Havard
Swarm of sheep, Romania by Thedon
Fields of Lavender in Valensole, Provence, France by jcourtial
Red Chili Farmer, Guntur, India by Aurobird
Huia dam New Zealand by Brendon Dixon
Piton de la Fournaise Volcano by DroneCopters
A snorkeller follows a Manta Ray, Yasawa Islands, Fiji by Droneworks NZ
Vernazza, cinque terre, italy by jcourtial
Bird attack in French Polynesia by Actua Drone
Big Buddha, Ushiku Daibutsuby, Japan by cliechti
Ski race, Adzhigardak, Asha, Russia by Maksim Tarasov
Stirling, Alberta, Canada by Aero Retina Optics
Rock Climbing, Moab, USA by Max Seigal
Miedzyzdroje plaża, Poland by Drone Expert
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h/t: [PetaPixel]