- SkyPixel’s 11th Annual Photo and Video Awards has attracted more than 45,000 entries so far
- Both photos and video content can be entered, with judges including Emmy-winning directors and social media influencers.
- Closing date for the contest is March 10, 2026, 23:59 (CST)
DJI remains the global leader in consumer drones, dominating the best drones and even best action cameras. And DJI's involvement in aerial photography extends to competitions; it has once more teamed up SkyPixel, one the world's most popular online communities for aerial content enthusiasts and professionals, to create the annual photo and video contest for the industry.
The scale of the contest is impressive – midway through its 11th season it has attracted more than 45,000 entries. And, in an effort to tease out more entries, DJI and SkyPixel unveiled some of the best shots and early contenders for the $200,000 prize fund so far. Among them are seven standout stills and five celebrated video entries.
One of the themes for this year's competition is called “Frame Your World,” for which hopeful content creators are encouraged to submit still and moving images that observe the world and express their personality.
This year has drawn interest from aspiring enthusiast photographers and filmmakers, plus contributions from industry influencers and heavyweight professionals. The hosts of the competition are only too happy to point out that this fraternity includes Emmy winners and world-renowned directors. On this list of elite artists is judge Ryan Hosking, the Aerial Director of Photography for the hit series Yellowstone, starring Kevin Costner, and Emmy-winning Director Alen Tkalčec.
SkyPixel calls the 11th Annual Photo & Video Contest more than a simple aerial photography competition, referring to it as a "global creative hub", and "one of the world’s most influential imaging events". With the number of images and videos submitted so far, and with several weeks still left to enter (closing on March 10), a lot of other creatives obviously agree.
Take Education on the Ice of Lake Çıldır by İsmail Kaplan (above), which captures children studying on a frozen lake from above, during harsh winter conditions. One of the judges of the competition, Judge Jiang Ping, was Chief Photographer of Chinese National Geography and highlighted the color contrast as a successful element that made the image stand out. Meanwhile, the shot was praised for capturing a moment in "nature classroom" by Professor Zhu Jiong of the Beijing Film Academy’s School of Visual Media and Communications, who called the frame "incredible".
The other judges' top choices
The fact that the content hosts a category for video places it in a unique position for attracting the content creators of today. With so many artists working across multiple media, it's a perfect opportunity for amateurs and pros to show off their filmmaking skills.
Ryan Hosking highlighted that the composition of "Iceland's Highlands from a Puffin's View" by Dennis Schmelz made the most of the contrast between the blue-green water and dark lava, calling it "exquisite."
As the contest is yet to close, there's still a chance to enter. SkyPixel and DJI will, together, award three grand prizes and give away more than 53 prizes in total, adding up to an impressive $200,000 kitty. The grand prize includes packages made up of products like the DJI Inspire 3, DJI Mavic 4 Pro, Ronin 4D-8K, and Hasselblad X2D II 100C. Winners will also be offered a direct SkyPixel Creator Contract.
Meanwhile, the Top 10 video/photos and People’s Choice winners will win prizes such as the DJI Mavic 4 Pro, DJI Avata 2, DJI Air 3S, and Osmo Pocket 3. Finally, all entrants are eligible to win DJI Credits for purchases on store.dji.com. In other words, you are rewarded just for entering.
You can submit entries directly through the SkyPixel site or via social media by tagging DJI Official on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, or X and using the hashtags #skypixel and #djiosmo. Participants can compete in multiple categories and you can enter as many works as you'd like. But be quick if you want to be involved, the deadline for closure is March 10, 2026, 23:59 (CST).
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