'Straight out of a fairyland' winner of the 11th DJI and SkyPixel 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

Date:
Fri, 01 May 2026 13:13:44 +0000

Description:
The 11th annual DJI and SkyPixel photo and video contest winners have been revealed, selected from over 95,000 entries, and you wouldn't believe what drone pilots are able to create with affordable gear

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Want a glimpse of the world's best aerial photography? DJI and SkyPixel'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. Article continues below You may like "Patience paying off" stunning early contenders for DJI and SkyPixel's $200,000 drone prize
revealed Today's best drones, based on in-depth testing These are the
stunning winners of the Sony World Photography Awards 2026 "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 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. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. The winning The Gate image in full (Image credit: Filip Hrebenda) Details on the SkyPixel 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.

Hrebenda had this to say about his winning image: "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. What to read next DJI Avata 360 vs Antigravity A1: here's which 360 drone I'd rather buy How a SWPA 2026 winner used old Canon DSLRs and camera traps to take stunning wildlife shots DJI Avata 360 review: part 360 drone, part FPV drone and all parts brilliant

"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 SkyPixel 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. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. DJI Mavic 3 Pro 2,299 1,661 View See all prices DJI Mavic 4 Pro 1,879 View See all prices DJI Mini 5 Pro 689 View See all prices DJI Lito X1 369 View See all prices DJI Mini 4K 269 View See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/cameras/photography/straight-out-of-a-fairyland-winn er-of-the-11th-dji-and-skypixel-photo-and-video-contest-stunned-judges-with-un ique-and-otherworldly-landscape-to-bag-the-grand-prize-in-usd200-000-pot-and-i t-was-captured-with-a-mavic-3-pro


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