'Straight out of a fairyland' — winner of the 11th DJI and Sky Pixel photo and video contest stunned judges with 'unique and otherworldly landscape' to bag the grand prize in the $200,000 pot, and it was captured with a Mavic 3 Pro | Tech Radar

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'Straight out of a fairyland' — winner of the 11th DJI and Sky Pixel photo and video contest stunned judges with 'unique and otherworldly landscape' to bag the grand prize in the $200,000 pot, and it was captured with a Mavic 3 Pro

The world's leading drone photography contest never fails to amaze

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Want a glimpse of the world's best aerial photography? DJI and Sky Pixel's annual photo and video contest is the place to go, and this year's winners have just been announced after the early contenders were teased a couple of months ago.

The stunning winning photos and videos of the 11th edition of the contest were selected from over 95,000 entries and 96 countries and regions — and drone pilot Filip Hrebenda scooped the grand prize in the contest's $200,000 pot with his aerial image The Gate (see below).

Contest judge Zhu Jiong described the scene as "straight out of a fairyland — layered mountains wrapped in mist.

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"The image feels calm on the outside, yet somehow breathtaking."

I must admit I haven't seen such a composition before, so it is a unique and fresh shot Daniel Kordan, contest judge

I must admit I haven't seen such a composition before, so it is a unique and fresh shot

Four judges praised the grand prize winner, saying: "The location and conditions feel rare, especially with the fog and elevation, making the scene stand out."

Judge Daniel Kordan goes on to say: "I must admit I haven't seen such a composition before, so it is a unique and fresh shot."

The remote aerial scene was taken in Buskerud, Norway, with the DJI Mavic 3 Pro — a pro triple camera drone which we gave a five-star rating, and which has since been updated with the Mavic 4 Pro. We rank the Pro series as the best camera drones for consumers.

The winning The Gate image in full (Image credit: © Filip Hrebenda)

Details on the Sky Pixel contest's site suggest Hrebenda used the main 24mm camera with variable aperture, which utilizes a micro four thirds sensor – that's bigger than those used in DJI's sub-250g drones.

"Captured in the far north of Norway during the autumn of 2025, this photograph was taken in a remote and extremely difficult-to-reach location. At sunrise, the landscape was covered by dense fog that filled the valleys and concealed the dramatic terrain.

"After a demanding ascent, we finally rose above the cloud layer, revealing this surreal and almost otherworldly view. The natural stone arch, resembling a monumental gate carved by time, stands suspended above a deep valley, surrounded by rugged cliffs and distant mountain silhouettes emerging from the sea of mist. The lone figure on the rock emphasizes the scale and raw beauty of the landscape.

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"To capture this composition, finding the perfect perspective was essential. This was made possible with the help of a DJI Mavic 3 Pro drone, which allowed me to position the camera precisely and reveal the full geometry of this extraordinary natural formation."

All the winning images can be seen at the Sky Pixel site and also include the early front-runner Carpet Fields, which ended up being a finalist and was captured with the older Mavic 2 Pro.

It's truly amazing the standard of photography that camera drone pilots are creating with what is relatively affordable gear.

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Tim is the Cameras editor at Tech Radar. He has enjoyed more than 15 years in the photo video industry with most of those in the world of tech journalism. During his time as Deputy Technical Editor with Amateur Photographer, as a freelancer and consequently editor at Tech Radar, Tim has developed a deeply technical knowledge and practical experience with cameras, educating others through news, reviews and features. He’s also worked in video production for Studio 44 with clients including Canon, and volunteers his spare time to consult a non-profit, diverse stories team based in Nairobi. Tim is curious, a keen creative, avid footballer and runner, and moderate flat white drinker who has lived in Kenya and believes we have much to enjoy and learn from each other.

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News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
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Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards