Sometimes, looking at the world from above can change everything. Well-known places turn into intriguing shapes, bustling cities show surprising patterns, and ordinary scenes look different. Aerial photography allows people to see details and viewpoints that are hard to notice from the ground. The 2026 Drone Photo Awards highlight this special type of photography, honoring skilled photographers from around the globe who capture stunning images from the sky. This international contest is part of the Siena Awards and focuses on aerial photography and video, showcasing the talent and creativity needed to take pictures from unusual angles.
Recently, a selection of winning photographs from the 2026 Siena International Photo Awards was shared, celebrating excellent photography across many subjects. Now, attention shifts to the Drone Photo Awards, another event within the Siena Awards family that provides unique views of the world. Below is a collection of winning images, as well as those that received honorable mentions and commendations. Check out these remarkable aerial views, and feel free to share your favorites. We would love to know which image impressed you the most!
1. “Floating Bear” by Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove received an honorable mention in the Wildlife Category. The image shows a polar bear swimming among ice pieces near a remote glacier front. The bear occasionally floated while looking around and sniffing for food among the ice.
2. “Sleeping Beauty” by Felix Belloin also earned an honorable mention in the Wildlife Category. This photograph features a polar bear peacefully sleeping in a crack near a beautiful blue ice piece in the Arctic pack ice north of Svalbard during the summer of 2025. The photographer made sure to stay at a high altitude to avoid disturbing the bear.
3. “Mother Nature” by Abdullah Benayan won 1st place in the Urban Category. It captures a huge dust storm approaching Mubarak Al-Kabeer in Kuwait in early May. The storm turned the sky orange and thick, covering the horizon and making visibility disappear, creating an eerie feeling.
This year, George Steinmetz was named Drone Photographer of the Year for his photo “Shipbreaking on the Mudflats, Bay of Bengal,” which illustrates a large ship being taken apart for scrap metal. In addition to the overall winner, the competition featured many other impressive images, showcasing a wide range of themes, from natural beauty and wildlife to human activities and striking geometric designs.
4. “Valley of Forgotten Rivers” by Ollie Watts placed 2nd in the Nature Category. The image shows fresh snow on the mountains after a storm in Kyrgyzstan, with hidden river channels winding through a golden valley, highlighting the quiet beauty of this remote area.
5. “Shipbreaking on the Mudflats, Bay of Bengal” by George Steinmetz was named Photo of the Year. It depicts an old LNG carrier being dismantled for scrap metal in the mudflats of the Bay of Bengal.
What do you think about these stunning aerial photographs?
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Source: Bored Panda, by Tarik Velić