50 Breathtaking Drone Pictures From This Years Dronestagram Photo Contest

Dronestagram is a photography community, founded over 5 years ago, where people share their best drone photos. Every year they host a contest and award the best drone photographs of the year. Recently, the 2018 winners have been announced and their photos will take your breath away. This year, over 5000 photos were submitted to the contest and the winners were chosen by a panel of 6 experts, including  Ken Geiger, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, and Jean-Pierre Vrignaud the editor in chief of National Geographic France. In an interview with Bored Panda, Eric, one of the panel members, described how they choose the best pictures: "A good drone picture must have a strong verticality and also show scenes close up, from a view that can only be taken by a drone. Then it must be artistic in its approach and style and if possible show life with humans or animals." One advice Eric had for beginners, was to learn to fly a drone before starting to take pictures. "You can learn and train with a small and robust $50 drone, then once you know how to fly it, invest in a good camera drone. Try to fly in the countryside, and respect the local rules and laws!" Check out the best drone pictures of 2018 in the gallery below! h/t: Bored Panda

#1 Second Place Winner. Fishing Boat In Vietnam By Trung Pham

The fishing net in the sea, viewed from aerial Image source: phtrung0611

#2 Lion Vs Drone By Bachirm

Image source: bachir_photo_phactory

#3 Third Place Winner. 2 Dogs, 2 People And 4 Shadows By Qliebin

People, dogs and shadows on Black sea beach Image source: Qliebin

#4 Fall In Love By Zekedrone

This is my second annual exploration of the beautiful colors in the east coast USA Image source: Zekedrone

#5 A Face In The Grain Field, Germany Photographersworld

Image source: Photographersworld

#6 In The Middle Of The Winter Forest By Photographersworld

Image source: Photographersworld

#7 First Place Winner. Bathing Hippos In Tanzania By Zekedrone

This by far was the highlight of my trip to Tanzania. I giant hippo party which was super VIP. But I knew exactly how to get in. Something they couldn’t resist. A game of Hungry Hungry Hippos! Image source: zekedrone

#8 Hon Khoi Salt Field, Vietnam By Trung Pham

Image source: phtrung0611

#9 Al Qudra Desert, United Arab Emirates By Whosane

Image source: Whosane

#10 Harvest Water Lilies By Tuan Nguyen

Water Lilies are picked early in the morning in rivers, lakes and washed. Then the flowers are brought to market. This is the main income occupation of people in Long An, Vietnam in the high season. Image source: Tuan Nguyen

#11 A Collapsed Truck In Russia By Drone Nest

Saw this truck resting in such way near my house and hurried for my drone to capture this moment Image source: drone.nest

#12 On The Nhu Y River By Tuan Nguyen

On the Nhu Y river in Hue City, Vietnam. The girls in Ao Dai dresses (traditional dresses) were releasing the floating candles on the river to pray for peace and happiness. This is the spiritual culture longstanding in Vietnam Image source: Tuan Nguyen

#13 Cote Rocheuse By Dronecopters

Image source: Dronecopters

#14 Lightning Over Kuala Lumpur By Pete Demarco

Image source: petedemarco

#15 Harvesting Grass By Tuan Nguyen

Farmers are harvesting grass in the big water season Image source: Tuan Nguyen

#16 The Red Umbrella By Caesarpmr

Image source: caesarpmr

#17 Fish shaped island in Croatia By Milan Photo

Fish shaped island is the inspiration for the logo of Brijuni National park, which was formerly Tito’s holyday playground. Gaz island, Brijuni NP, Adriatic Sea, Croatia Image source: water.shapes.earth

#18 Shot Over The Infamous Half Desert Road In Dubai By Whosane

Image source: Whosane

#19 Sheep Herding By Photographersworld

Image source: Photographersworld

#20 Reynisdrangar By Balazs3

Iceland’s South Coast Image source: balazsbusznyak

#21 Brighton Pier By Lukemaximobell

Image source: lukemaximobell

#22 Les 3 Volcans By Dronecopters

Image source: Dronecopters

#23 Laguna De Cotacotani By Alex Mimo

Parinacota and Pomerape volcanoes in the coming sunset light. Vertical drone pano. Lauca National Park, Chile Image source: Alex Mimo

#24 The Outskirts Of A Town Called Dorothy In Alberta, Canada By Justen Soule

Image source: justensoule

#25 Between Two Worlds By Thedon

Image source: thedon

#26 Black Sand Beach By Balazs3

Waves crashing at Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach Image source: balazsbusznyak

#27 Winter Ice By Photographersworld

Image source: Photographersworld

#28 A New Bridge In Ukraine By Maxwebb

Image source: maxvvvebb

#29 Harvesting Shrimp On The Sea By Tuan Nguyen

Harvesting shrimp on the sea in Phu Yen, Vietnam. These shrimp are mainly used in processing shrimp paste. A delicious and traditional Vietnamese food Image source: Tuan Nguyen

#30 Fairy Forest By Thedon

Image source: thedon

#31 Three Figures In The Jordan Desert Near Wadi Rum By Kolibik-Foto

Image source: kolibikfoto

#32 Immaculate Landscape By Balazs3

Iceland is a land of beauty as portrayed by this drone shot Image source: balazsbusznyak

#33 Rural Ice Hockey In Russia By Maksim Tarasov

Image source: awsmsky

#34 Harvesting Tea Leaves By Tuan Nguyen

Harvesting tea leaves in Bao Loc, Vietnam. The leaves are harvested early in the morning when the dew still remains on the leaves. It is then put into the factory for processing into tea Image source: Tuan Nguyen

#35 Sai Gon By Night By Tuan Nguyen

A corner of Saigon at night. This is the largest and most dynamic city in Vietnam Image source: Tuan Nguyen

#36 A Football Pitch In The Middle Of The Jabal Mountains In Oman By Kolibik-Foto

Image source: kolibikfoto

#37 Leme Beach, Close To Copacabana Beach, Rio De Janeiro By Americo Vermelho

Image source: americovermelho

#38 Horseshoe Bay Beach By Arnaud

somewhere along the most beautiful beach in Bermuda Image source: droneitforyou

#39 The Color Changes As A Farmer Prepares A Berry Farm In Early Spring Outside Of Peterborough, Ontario By Justen Soule

Image source: justensoule

#40 The Projects In Brooklyn By Sanllacer

Image source: Sanllacer

#41 A Routine Day In Dubai On Sheikh Zayed Road By Bachirm

Image source: bachir_photo_phactory

#42 Cast A Net By Tuan Nguyen

I saw some fishermen casting their net into a river. This is a profession in longstanding Hue, Vietnam. In the afternoon, if we stroll on the Vy Da bridge, we will see fishermen casting their net on the Nhu Y river Image source: Tuan Nguyen

#43 One Morning Peacefully By Tuan Nguyen

A family in the ancient imperial city of Hue catch fish in the Ru Cha mangrove forest. This is the picture close, happy common in villages Image source: Tuan Nguyen

#44 Blue Lagoon By Balazs3

On the way to the Blue Lagoon we stopped, flew the drone, and were rewarded with this unreal view. Image source: balazsbusznyak

#45 The Green Island Of Karadag By Alex Mimo

Drone pano. Koktebel, Crimea Image source: Alex Mimo

#46 An Abandoned Water Park In Dubai By Dxbdrone

Image source: dxbdrone

#47 Marine Langevin By Dronecopters

Image source: Dronecopters

#48 The Best Camping Spot By Balazs3

An aerial perspective of camping in the winter Image source: balazsbusznyak

#49 Creta’s Beach By Matayo

Long exposure done during the sun set Image source: Matayo

#50 Canoes In The Singapore Reservoirs By John Wong

Image source: John Wong