SkyPixel’s 10th Annual Contest Showcases Drone Creativity at Its Peak

SkyPixel‘s 10th Annual Photo & Video Contest has announced its winners, revealing how far drone imagery has come since the competition’s inception in 2014. Nearly 140,000 submissions vied for over $170,000 in prizes, highlighting the growing sophistication of aerial and handheld imaging technology, according to SkyPixel’s official announcement.

The contest, which has transformed from a niche competition into a global benchmark for aerial creativity, awarded its 2025 Annual Best Video Prize (Aerial) to Bashir Abu Shakra for “The War – My Transformation Journey,” a production that uses vast, open landscapes to create a powerful visual metaphor for personal transformation.

Technical Excellence Meets Artistic Vision

This year’s winners demonstrate how the technical capabilities of modern imaging equipment continue to enable increasingly sophisticated storytelling. Academy Award-winning cinematographer Claudio Miranda, who judged the video category, praised Abu Shakra’s winning entry for its “elongated duration, graceful camera movements, and the serene beauty of the time of day.”

Henry Yue’s “Japan Travel Cinematic” captured the Best Video Prize in the Handheld category, showcasing advanced stabilization techniques that judge Sam Newton described as “second to none” for capturing Japan‘s essence.

Meanwhile, the 2025 Annual Best Photo Prize went to Gangerqia for “Mysterious Realm,” an image that blurs the line between landscape and symbolism. The photograph features a frozen pond shaped like an eye with bird footprints creating a striking visual pattern—a composition that judge Luke Stackpoole noted “almost tricks you at first glance—like you’re looking at a drawing rather than a real landscape.”

Industry Evolution Reflected in Contest Growth

The competition’s transformation mirrors the broader evolution of the Drone Industry itself. What began as a platform primarily for DJI users has expanded into a global community for aerial creators using diverse equipment. The technical proficiency displayed in winning entries reflects how rapidly Drone Technology has matured, with stabilization, resolution, and flight control improvements enabling creative possibilities that seemed impossible a decade ago.

Additional standouts among the top ten video winners included “We Were Meant to Fly” by danieltremsky and “My FPV Showreel 2024,” which demonstrated the increasing sophistication of FPV Drone cinematography—a category that barely existed when the contest launched.

Judging Panel Reflects Industry Standing

The contest’s prestige is reinforced by its judging panel, which included industry heavyweights across cinematography and photography. Beyond Miranda, the video category was evaluated by renowned cinematographers Chenyu Jin and Tianhong Pan, along with travel filmmaker Sam Newton.

Photography judges included National Geographic’s Anne Farrar, travel photographer Luke Stackpoole, landscape Specialist Weimin Chu (winner of multiple prestigious awards including the 2024 Hasselblad Masters Award), and celebrated nature photographer Daniel Kordan.

Market Implications

The contest’s growth trajectory offers insight into the expanding market for professional-grade aerial imaging equipment. With submissions nearly tripling since early competitions, manufacturers are responding with increasingly specialized tools for aerial creators. This symbiotic relationship between equipment makers and content creators continues to drive innovation in both hardware capabilities and creative techniques.

As drone regulations evolve globally, contests like SkyPixel’s provide a platform for responsible operators to showcase the technology’s artistic potential, potentially influencing public perception and regulatory frameworks.

DroneXL’s Take

The tenth anniversary of SkyPixel’s contest represents a milestone not just for the competition but for the entire drone imaging industry. What began as an enthusiast hobby has evolved into a sophisticated art form with dedicated professionals pushing creative boundaries.

The winning entries demonstrate that as hardware capabilities plateau, the distinguishing factor increasingly becomes the creator’s vision and technical execution. This parallels what we’ve seen across the drone industry, where technical commoditization shifts value toward expertise and creative application.

For those interested in viewing all winning entries, the complete list is available at www.skypixel.com/contests/2025.

Photos courtesy of SkyPixel / Bashir Abu Shakra / Gangerqia