Drone Photo Awards 2021. Best drone photos and videos

29 Сен 2021, 11:44

The winners of the Drone Photo Awards 2021, the most popular international competition for aerial photography from quadcopters, were announced the other day. For the fourth year in a row, the best drone photos were selected.

About 10 thousand photos sent by drone pilots from 102 countries participated in the selection. Along with wildlife photos, the award was given to photos in such categories as weddings, people, environment, urban, sports, serial photos and abstract. Just like last year, the winning video submissions were also honored.

At the end of October, the winning images will be presented at the international exhibition "Above Us Only the Sky", which will take place during the Siena Awards visual arts festival in Siena, Italy, and the author of the top photo of the year will receive a crystal statuette "Pangea Award" and a prize of 500 euros for photo equipment.

Photos of last year's winners can be seen in the Drone Photo Awards 2020 article.

Photo of the Year 2021

Short-billed rose-footed geese welcoming winter
Author: Terje Kolaas

In spring, thousands of pink-footed geese are camping in central Norway as they make their way to their breeding grounds on the Arctic island of Svalbard. Probably due to climate change, they sometimes arrive early, and often the fields where they feed are covered with snow on arrival. Geese tend to use the same trails, so waiting for them in the air with a drone can provide a similar photo.

Urbanity

1 place

Metaphorical statement about the city and winter
Author: Sergey Poletaev

A 500-year-old monastery in the Moscow region and a large power plant in the background. The steam from the cooling towers is especially thick because of the severe frost.

2nd place

The Kingdom Center skyscraper
Author: George Steinmetz

At 992 feet tall, The Kingdom Centre skyscraper was the tallest skyscraper in Saudi Arabia when it was completed in 2002, but it now ranks only 5th on the list.

Highly rated:

Space Invaders
By Gilad Topaz

White umbrellas on a Dead Sea beach.

Henningsver
Author: Nando Harmsen

The soccer field in the fishing town of Henningsver on the Lofoten Islands is special in its own way. The green artificial grass stands out from the winter landscape. Would you dare to play here?

Suspension driveway
Author: Paolo Crocetta

The Vaccanonesa is a small train that connects the city of Trento to the villages of Val di Non and Val di Sole in Trentino, Italy. Traveling through apple orchards, the train makes a spectacular crossing over a gorge over 150 meters high.

Wildlife

1 place

Back to the journey
Written by Qasim Al Farsi

A green turtle returns to the water after laying eggs on the Omani coast between Ras Al Jinz and Rashad Turtle Sanctuary.

2nd place

Fast food
Author: Igor Altuna

This photo was taken in Zambia. Two lion brothers killed a buffalo and, after eating for a day, left the remains to scavengers.

Highly appreciated:

A herd of hippos, top view
Author: Talib Almarri

A herd of hippos from above creates an amazing pattern. All the hippos are adults except for one baby, which is in the very center.

Fabulous circles
Author: George Steinmetz

A herd of zebra in the Namib Rand Game Reserve in Namibia. The thin grass here has a rare spotted pattern known as "fairy circles," a phenomenon that is poorly understood. Perhaps the grass grows taller on the inner edge of the circles because of less competition for water...

Polar bear hunting
Author: Paolo Crocetta

A polar bear hunts a seal from an iceberg on the island of Svalbard. The photo was taken in summer, when the sea ice goes north to 83° north latitude.

Sport

1 place

Gold at the edge of the rainbow
By Phil De Glanville

Surfer Ollie Henry escapes a monster wave off the coast of southwest Western Australia.

2nd place

Follow me
By Pierluigi Orler

"I took this photo in Bernau, near the Black Forest. A rathrac was marking new tracks after a snowfall and two skiers were practicing behind him. The image was over-lighted to give the photo an ethereal feel."

Highly commended:

Wrong track, buddy!
Author: John Cowpland

A lone cyclist rides against traffic during the Big Easy cycling event in Hawkes Bay. The event attracts hundreds of cyclists who want to ride the region's cycle paths over the Easter weekend.

One attempt
By Lampson Karmin Yip

Hong Kong basketball player Hui Huen Hang Haiman practices during the opening ceremony of Siu Hei Sports Ground on July 4, 2020.

Hockney Pool
By Louis Du Pisani

A desolate pool that resembles the work of artist David Hockney becomes a space for skateboarding. The bowl is recessed into the ground and its walls are made up of undulating transitions..... a space where skill and flow are paramount.

People

1 place

Fishing in the mangrove forests
Author: Trung Pham Huy

A fisherman in the mangrove forest of Tam Jang Lagoon in Hue Province. In winter, the mangrove trees lose all their leaves and turn white.

2nd place

Beach season
Author: Alexander Vlasiuk

"I took this photo in February 2021 on the ice hummocks of the Kapchagai reservoir in Almaty region. The air temperature on that day was -10 degrees; for our region and season you can say warm, and so, without waiting for summer, we decided to open the beach season!"

Highly appreciated:

Prayers for souls
Author: Phu Khanh Bui

On the July full moon, as part of Vietnamese culture, women wear traditional costumes called "Ao Dai" to join the festival of releasing colored lanterns and flower garlands on the river to pray for the happiness and good fortune of their families. "May the souls of their deceased relatives and the souls of all the deceased rest in heaven."

Collecting water from dried up riverbeds.
Written by Sujon Adhikary

About 263 million people around the world have access to water sources that are considered safe, but they have to spend at least 30 minutes walking or standing in line to fetch water. And the task of providing water to households falls disproportionately on the shoulders of women and girls, especially in rural areas.

Buddhists pray
By Khanh Phan

Thousands of Buddhists pray to mark the New Year at Hoang Phap Pagoda in Khoc Mon District. They light thousands of candles and pray at night.

Correlation
By Amirmahdi Najafloo Shahpar

Muslim men and women in Hamedan, Iran, pray for the Eid al-Adha holiday. The last day of Ramadan is celebrated by Muslims everywhere with prayers and special gatherings.

World

1 place

Extragalactic
Author: Martin Sanchez

Intense and magnificent moments of a volcanic eruption in Iceland.

2 place

The Great Rift
Author: Janessa Anderson

Ice sheets diverge on the lake, providing a brief opportunity for exploration. This vast expanse of ice gives a glimpse of the power and majesty that nature possesses.

Highly praised:

Camel shadows at sunset
Author: Jim Picôt

"While flying the drone over the ocean, I noticed the camels approaching and the beautiful play of light and shadow, as well as the beautiful patterns of the waves on the shoreline."

The Mighty Ruacana
Author: Jan Roode

The Kunene River flows through Angola and rises over a mighty chasm on the border with Namibia at the Ruakana Falls. Here a young baobab clings to a rocky ledge while the waters of the Ruakana Falls rage around it.

Full Power
By Phil De Glanville

"Like people, each wave takes a unique journey that can inspire. The photograph was taken on the southwest coast of Western Australia."

Abstraction

1 place

Poisoned River
Author: Gheorghe Popa

A detailed photograph of one of the poison filled rivers. "Poisonous Beauty" is a personal project that tells the story of a natural disaster in the "Apusen Mountains", but in a beautiful abstract form. This abstract colorful pattern was created by nature combined with chemical waste from copper and gold mining.

2nd place

Kaleidoscope
Author: Paolo Crocetta

This shot was inspired by the colorful patterns of the Navajo people. The bright colors of the containers and diagonals created by the play of light and shadow give birth to an interesting pattern.

Highly regarded:

Duoyishu Terraces
Author: Ran Tian

A breathtaking aerial view of the famous Duoyishu Terraces, where rice is grown. The shades of the different levels of the rice paddies create a unique effect.

Chessboard
Author: Cezar Gabriel Popescu

An aerial view of a private beach in Mamaia. "After seeing the leveled umbrellas, I was sure that the view from above would be interesting when the shadows were in the right place. To get this shot, I had to wait until the sun was high enough."

Dali's Dream
Author: Ignacio Medem

The ravines in the arid terrain combined with the "cool white balance" is reminiscent of an imaginative hand with eight fingers, which could have been Salvador Dalí's dream.

Wedding

1 place

To infinity with you
Author: Matteo Originale

Marina di Pisa, a late summer evening at sunset.... "I noticed the clouds on the horizon and decided to guide the couple towards their infinity, full of love."

2nd place

The boundless sea of love
Author: Wujiang Zhu

A unique location for traditional honeymoon photos, in the middle of a well-maintained garden during the blooming season.

Highly appreciated:

Airplane in love
Author: Krzysztof Krawczyk

An abandoned airplane and lovers on its wing. Another wedding abstract combined with sharp shadow gives a three-dimensional image.

Natural bride
Author: Krzysztof Krawczyk

The power of nature! A lake, a fallen tree and an unusually bold bride. Abstraction combined with the beauty of nature and fantastic autumn climate.

Golf course stories
Author: Tobias Froehner

Drone photo on a golf course with a beautiful couple and a long veil. Very romantic yet modern at the same time.

Series photos

1 place

Coated with a fire retardant layer
Written by Adrees Latif

In 2020, Oregon was hit by 100 major wildfires raging across the western United States, one of the most devastating disasters in the state's history. On the morning of Sept. 8, a human-caused fire called the Almeda Fire broke out in neighboring Ashland. Winds of more than 40 miles per hour quickly spread the fire to retirement communities, trailer home parks, shopping centers and businesses. In just a few hours, half of the town of Talent was reduced to ash. In apocalyptic footage, the city of Talent was left shrouded in red fire retardant dropped by aerial firefighting efforts hoping to save the city. Three deaths were reported, 3,000 residents were displaced and nearly 3,000 structures across nine miles were destroyed.

2nd place

Abstract Nature
Author: Manuel Enrique González Carmona

Minerals, water and water streams are the ingredients with which nature creates these abstract and ephemeral landscapes. This canvas is actually a pond of toxic waste from a copper mine located in the province of Huelva. Such bizarre formations will disappear with the next heavy rains and the appearance of new waste. "Although this has happened due to human intervention, it never ceases to amaze me how nature sculpts and paints different minerals and colors to create these landscapes worthy of the best abstractionist painters."

Highly praised:

Anatomy of Ice
Author: Gheorghe Popa

Ice Anatomy is a series of aerial photographs of Lake Quaidel just before it completely froze over. Fresh snow and ice cracks created these shapes that resemble neurons or simply cells. My Anatomy of Ice project traces the changes in the lake's ice over several winters.

Habitat
Author: Henrique Murta

"This series is about the harmony between architecture and nature. Nature in its natural form with the touch of man, which ultimately creates a balance in the frame. Places where people live in dream lands. I am essentially a nature photographer, and finding the beauty of pure nature has been one of my main life goals for over a decade. Along the way, I've been surprised several times, falling into a state of deep joy when I've found a balance between the natural landscape and human elements. It's not usually very common, and when it happens, it's worth thinking about for a while. And that's the idea behind my series: I'd like to invite your eyes to perceive all the elements of these complex compositions and how they fit together."

Colorful Terraces
Author: Tuan Nguyen Tan

Every year in May, during the rainy season in terraced rice fields, water flows from one field to another, blending with the color of the land and clouds. Reflections of light on the surface of the water mix together to create colorful images.

Video

1 place

Ice ballet
Author: Nestoras Kechagias

"This video was shot in Greenland last June. We had 24 hours of daylight, which means white nights. During the flight our quadrocopter experienced strong magnetic interference and it was our most challenging aerial shoot so far. This trip won us the best video award at the DroneUp International Film Festival. With the help of Ilulissat Adventure, Ilulissat Guesthouse, Visit Greenland, Arctic Friend and PGI Greenland, this week we spent above the Arctic Circle was a week to remember for years to come."

2nd place

S.P.Q.R.
Author: Mauro Sciambi

"During this period I was lucky enough to fly over Rome, not crowded as usual but a surreal empty city. In this video I used the hyperlapse technique to combine the same day/night scenes I shot during 6 days, collecting the best views of Rome."

Highly praised:

Autumn Senses
Author: Jan Barancik

"Autumn, a period of last warm rays, bright colors, but also a period of flowing fogs and dizzying inversions. More than once I've come home incredibly energized by the footage I've shot. This video is a tribute to our region, a special part of North Moravia in the Czech Republic."

Fragments in motion
Author: Giampaolo Pauselli

"Gubbio, May 1, 2016. The heart begins to beat, the turmoil brings back memories, the passion warms our soul. It's May... Fragments in Motion is the Ceri Festival in the city of Gubbio."

Arctic Visions
Author: Martin Gregus

"The AviaEye 2020 demo video is specially directed to highlight our RPAS operations in various environments and countries throughout 2020. In this video, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to work with a variety of companies, travel agencies and manufacturing companies from around the world. Due to the ongoing pandemic, our work has been mainly focused on discovering new filming opportunities in the Canadian Arctic; especially filming polar bears and beluga whales."