<strong>Coolest drone photos of 2016: </strong>The team behind Dronestagram, an image sharing website for drone photographers, handpicked 20 best shots taken and submitted by its users last year. Here's a stunning picture of Bogata Forest, Romania, taken by Bucharest-based dronist Calin Stan.
Coolest drone photos of 2016: The team behind Dronestagram, an image sharing website for drone photographers, handpicked 20 best shots taken and submitted by its users last year. Here's a stunning picture of Bogata Forest, Romania, taken by Bucharest-based dronist Calin Stan.
Calin Stan
<strong>Lavender fields:</strong> Photographer Jerome Courtial visited Valensole in Provence to capture the French region's classic lavender fields from a fresh angle. "I knew this was harvest season so I looked for tractors and waited patiently until some started to harvest in a pattern that would create a pleasing composition from above," the photographer says.
Lavender fields: Photographer Jerome Courtial visited Valensole in Provence to capture the French region's classic lavender fields from a fresh angle. "I knew this was harvest season so I looked for tractors and waited patiently until some started to harvest in a pattern that would create a pleasing composition from above," the photographer says.
Jcourtial
<strong>Cable Beach:</strong> Todd Kennedy photographed this camel caravan ride on western Australia's Cable Beach as the sun was setting.
Cable Beach: Todd Kennedy photographed this camel caravan ride on western Australia's Cable Beach as the sun was setting.
Todd Kennedy
<strong>Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, Umbria, Italy: </strong>In terms of media coverage and views worldwide, photographer Francesco Cattuto's picture of this Umbrian church immersed in a sea of fog was the most popular drone shot of the year. It was also the winner of the 2016 International Drone Photography Contest (Travel Category).
Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, Umbria, Italy: In terms of media coverage and views worldwide, photographer Francesco Cattuto's picture of this Umbrian church immersed in a sea of fog was the most popular drone shot of the year. It was also the winner of the 2016 International Drone Photography Contest (Travel Category).
fcattuto
<strong>Rock-climbing: </strong>Captured on a GoPro attached to a DJI Phanton 2 drone, Max Seigal's picture of a rock climber in Moab, Utah was awarded first prize at the 2016 International Drone Photography Contest (Sport Adventure Category).
Rock-climbing: Captured on a GoPro attached to a DJI Phanton 2 drone, Max Seigal's picture of a rock climber in Moab, Utah was awarded first prize at the 2016 International Drone Photography Contest (Sport Adventure Category).
Max Seigal
<strong>Wedding photo: </strong>Wedding photos taken by drone are a rising trend, according to Dronestagram. Here's one lovely example taken in Huanine, French Polynesia, by Helene Havard.
Wedding photo: Wedding photos taken by drone are a rising trend, according to Dronestagram. Here's one lovely example taken in Huanine, French Polynesia, by Helene Havard.
Helene Havard
<strong>Red chili farmer: </strong>Based in Guntur, India, Dronestagram user Aurobird submitted this picture of a farmer in a field of red chilies.
Red chili farmer: Based in Guntur, India, Dronestagram user Aurobird submitted this picture of a farmer in a field of red chilies.
Aurobird
<strong>Summer camp: </strong>Umbrellas and beach-goers reduced to miniature make this picture of Playa de Amadores, Gran Canaria, one of the top 20 drone photos of 2016.
Summer camp: Umbrellas and beach-goers reduced to miniature make this picture of Playa de Amadores, Gran Canaria, one of the top 20 drone photos of 2016.
Karolis Janulis
<strong>Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: </strong>Rio-based dronist Ulysses Padilha shows a different aspect of the popular Copacabana beach in this aerial shot.
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Rio-based dronist Ulysses Padilha shows a different aspect of the popular Copacabana beach in this aerial shot.
Ulysses Padilha
<strong>Piton de la Fournaise: </strong>This image by<strong> </strong>DroneCopters, shows Piton de la Fournaise, a volcano on the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean.
Piton de la Fournaise: This image by DroneCopters, shows Piton de la Fournaise, a volcano on the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean.
DroneCopters
<strong>Swarm of sheep: </strong>From a distance they might look like sesame seeds, but this is in fact a herd of sheep in Marpod, a small commune in Romania.
Swarm of sheep: From a distance they might look like sesame seeds, but this is in fact a herd of sheep in Marpod, a small commune in Romania.
Thedon
<strong>Huia Dam, Auckland, New Zealand: </strong>Is this the coolest selfie of 2016? Brendon Dixon took this picture of himself and Huia Dam using an Inspire Pro.
Huia Dam, Auckland, New Zealand: Is this the coolest selfie of 2016? Brendon Dixon took this picture of himself and Huia Dam using an Inspire Pro.
Brendon Dixon
<strong>Turbine worker, Stirling, Alberta: </strong>Landscape is the most popular type of drone photography but Dronestagram says they're receiving more and more shots of people. Dronist Aero Retina Optics captured this image of a worker descending down the side of a wind turbine in Alberta, Canada.
Turbine worker, Stirling, Alberta: Landscape is the most popular type of drone photography but Dronestagram says they're receiving more and more shots of people. Dronist Aero Retina Optics captured this image of a worker descending down the side of a wind turbine in Alberta, Canada.
Aero Retina Optics
<strong>Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy: </strong>Another picture by Jerome Courtial (who also shot the lavender fields). This shows a sunset view of the seaside town Vernazza in Italy.
Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy: Another picture by Jerome Courtial (who also shot the lavender fields). This shows a sunset view of the seaside town Vernazza in Italy.
Jcourtial
<strong>Międzyzdroje, Poland:</strong> This aerial photo was shot over the beach of Międzyzdroje, a Baltic seaside resort town in northwestern Poland.
Międzyzdroje, Poland: This aerial photo was shot over the beach of Międzyzdroje, a Baltic seaside resort town in northwestern Poland.
Drone Expert
<strong>Yasawa island, Fiji: </strong>Skydiver and drone enthusiast Colin Aitchison, otherwise known as Droneworks NZ, took this picture of a snorkeler following a manta ray in the pristine ocean by the Yasawa Islands, Fiji.
Yasawa island, Fiji: Skydiver and drone enthusiast Colin Aitchison, otherwise known as Droneworks NZ, took this picture of a snorkeler following a manta ray in the pristine ocean by the Yasawa Islands, Fiji.
Droneworks NZ
<strong>Ski race: </strong>This photo by Maksim Tarasov shows skiers crossing the snows of Adzhigardak mountain, near the the town of Asha in the Urals.
Ski race: This photo by Maksim Tarasov shows skiers crossing the snows of Adzhigardak mountain, near the the town of Asha in the Urals.
Maksim Tarasov
<strong>Niagara Falls, New York:</strong> The world's most famous waterfall isn't instantly recognizable when seen from a bird's-eye view. Ryan Jones took this picture from the New York side of Niagara Falls.
Niagara Falls, New York: The world's most famous waterfall isn't instantly recognizable when seen from a bird's-eye view. Ryan Jones took this picture from the New York side of Niagara Falls.
Ryanjones
<strong>Big Buddha:</strong> Towering 120 meters above ground, Ushiku Daibutsu, or the big Buddha statue in Ushiku, Japan, is one of the tallest statues in the world. This image was captured by dronist Christian Liechti.
Big Buddha: Towering 120 meters above ground, Ushiku Daibutsu, or the big Buddha statue in Ushiku, Japan, is one of the tallest statues in the world. This image was captured by dronist Christian Liechti.
cliechti
<strong>Bird attack: </strong>"A magnificent bird attacks my drone," says photographer Actua Drone of this image shot in French Polynesia.
Bird attack: "A magnificent bird attacks my drone," says photographer Actua Drone of this image shot in French Polynesia.
Actua drone
20 coolest drone photos of 2016

Story highlights

Dronestagram, an online community for drone users, reveals the best 20 aerial photos of 2016

Landscape shots are big, but drone wedding photo is gaining popularity

CNN  — 

If we needed proof that camera + altitude = magic, these incredible photos shot using drones should do the trick.

The above gallery of images shows the best drone photos of 2016 as chosen by Dronestagram, the largest online community for drone photographers, or “dronists.”

Dronestagram’s team says it handpicked shots that highlight the beauty of drone photography in multiple aspects – including agriculture, sports, tourism, adventure, wildlife, landscape, cultural heritage and people.

MORE: Incredible images: The urban explorer who found an old Soviet shuttle

The epitome of beautiful drone photography.
The epitome of beautiful drone photography.
fcattuto

“Landscape pictures are the most popular type of drone photos, undoubtedly,” says Guillaume Jarret, Dronestagram’s managing director.

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See Bali's stunning rice fields from above
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The most popular shot of last year? A gorgeous photo of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Italy’s Umbria region, rising above the mist.

It also scooped top prize in the 2016 International Drone Photography Contest, co-organized by Dronestagram and National Geographic.

The most viral picture ever on Dronestagram, however, is still the amazing eagle of Bali from 2015 – gathering 137,000 views on the site, and counting.

MORE: See the eagle picture in CNN’s interview with Dronestagram’s founder

“But we’ve also received more and more pictures of people. It looks like people are having fun using their drones to get aerial memories with friends and family.”

READ: Photographic proof that animals are funnier than humans

Aerial wedding photos

A very different kind of wedding photography.
A very different kind of wedding photography.
Helene Havard

Life-changing events are also better when seen from the air, it seems.

“Drone wedding photography has become something very trendy, especially in California and Israel,” says Jarret.

Among the top 20 is a wedding photo featuring a couple lying amid palm trees.

In April 2016, Dronestagram launched a special market place MariageParDrone (or wedding by drone) to connect brides and grooms with drone operators.

In general, the quality of drone photography is getting higher.

“I talk about quality but not quantity,” Jarret says.

“You don’t take a picture with your drone the way you’d do with your smartphone.

“It limits the number of pictures shared but increases the quality of our image bank.”

MORE: Instant vacation: The best travel photos of 2016

Maggie Hiufu Wong is a freelance writer based in London.