This year over 2,000 people from 116 countries around the world submitted images to the Drone Photo Awards 2022. This competition is part of the Siena Awards international Festival of visual arts and includes some magnificent images from the skies above. 

Now nine winners have been revealed from categories including urban, people, nature, wildlife, sport and more. We've collected some of these images for your enjoyment, but be sure to head over to the full awards gallery to see more. 

Rooftops by Serhiy Vovk, Ukraine

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 2
Serhiy Vovk/Siena Awards

This is the first-place winner of the urban category. It shows the colourful rooftops of the Kartoffelraekkerne neighbourhood, in Oesterbro Copenhagen. 

This image is the first place winner of the urban category of the Drone Awards. It shows the wonderfully colourful rooftops of the Kartoffelraekkerne neighbourhood, in Oesterbro Copenhagen. 

This area dates back to the 1800s and was constructed for working-class families. Now it makes for a wonderful aerial view. 

Sleeping on a Boat by Anindita Roy, Bangladesh

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 3
Anindita Roy/Siena Awards

The winning image from the people category shows a person resting on their boat in a busy river port in Dhaka, Bangladesh. 

The winning image from the people category shows a person resting on their boat in a busy river port in Dhaka, Bangladesh. 

A common sight in the area, but a wonderfully intriguing one when taken from the skies above. 

Solidarity by Mehdi Mohebipour, Iran

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 4
Mehdi Mohebipour/Siena Awards

The wildlife winner gives us a great view of Flamingos sleeping neatly together, crowded closely for safety and security. 

The wildlife winner gives us a great view of Flamingos sleeping neatly together, crowded closely for safety and security. 

We love these views of wild creatures captured in a way you'd be unlikely to see from ground level. 

Falling Skiers by Daniel Koszela, Poland

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 5
Daniel Koszela/Siena Awards

This winner gives a weird and wonderful perspective of a group of skiers in action. From this angle, it looks like they're tumbling down a vertical cliff face. 

This winner from the sports category gives a weird and wonderful perspective of a group of skiers in action.

From this angle, it looks like they're tumbling down a vertical cliff face. 

Meeting by David Rouge, Switzerland

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 6
David Rouge/Siena Awards

From the nature category comes this award winner showing a wonderful view of the Namib

Desert's sand dunes meeting the waters of the South Atlantic Ocean. 

From the nature category comes this award winner showing a wonderful view of the Namib
Desert's sand dunes meeting the waters of the South Atlantic Ocean. 

Simple yet brilliant. 

Salt Farm Workers Harvesting by Saurabh Sirohiya, India

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 7
Saurabh Sirohiya/Siena Awards

This award winner sees an abstract view from above. Taken above the salt pans in Habra, India. 

This award winner sees an abstract view from above. Taken above the salt pans in Habra, India. 

Here the salt is set like this to allow slow evaporation in the hot sun before the salt can be collected. 

Like a Painted Picture by Krzysztof Krawczyk, Poland

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 8
Krzysztof Krawczyk/Siena Awards

Looking for inspiration for wedding photos? Then you need to see the wedding category of the Drone Awards. 

Looking for inspiration for wedding photos? Then you need to see the wedding category of the Drone Awards

There are some highly unusual wedding snaps in there captured by drones. This one shows a fallen tree, seemingly perfectly felled in the water withe a bride posing below. 

Abandoned Weather Station by Dmitry Kokh, Russia

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 9
Dmitry Kokh/Siena Awards

This collection by Dmitry Kokh won the award in the series category and shows some brilliant views of polar bears in an abandoned weather station.  

This is a taste of a series of photos taken during a visit to Chukotka and Wrangel Island. The collection by Dmitry Kokh won the award in the series category and shows some brilliant views of polar bears in an abandoned weather station.  

Beautiful life - Princess Taiping by Jingkun Yang

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 10
Jingkun Yang/Siena Awards

Here's a beautiful landscape view of an iconic area of parkland with an image of a famous princess lovingly crafted from various colourful plants. 

Here's a beautiful landscape view of an iconic area of parkland with an image of a famous princess lovingly crafted from various colourful plants. 

Five-leaf flower Hall by Ying Zhang

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 11
Ying Zhang/Siena Awards

This view shows a hotel like you've probably never seen before. Also, one that's unlikely to be fully appreciated except without an aerial image like this. 

This incredible view shows a hotel like you've probably never seen before. Also one that's unlikely to be fully appreciated except without an aerial image like this. 

Perfect timing

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 12
Denise Azuelos/Siena Awards

One of the commended photos in the wildlife category shows a brilliant moment of perfect timing as a whale's tail turns the sea into brilliant foam. 

One of the commended photos in the wildlife category shows a brilliant moment of perfect timing as a whale's tail turns the sea into brilliant foam. 

Shadow Basketball

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 13
Kateryna Polishchuk/Siena Awards

Here's a brilliantly composed shot of some basketball happening below Kateryna Polishchuk's drone.

Here's a brilliantly composed shot of some basketball happening below Kateryna Polishchuk's drone. We love the way the blue ball stands out among the other colours of the court. 

Abstract aerial art

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 14
Themistocles Kaltsidis/Siena Awards

Here's a brilliant aerial shot of an empty hotel taken during the pandemic when everything was quiet. Fantastically abstract.

Here's a brilliant aerial shot of an empty hotel taken during the pandemic when everything was quiet. 

The framing of this one and the angle of the various stairs and walls make it look like a brilliant work of abstract artwork. 

Rice Processing

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 15
Md Tanveer Hassan Rohan/Siena Awards

We've already seen a great shot of workers processing salt, now we get to see a brilliant aerial shot of rice being dried out in the sun too. 

We've already seen a great shot of workers processing salt, now we get to see a brilliant aerial shot of rice being dried out in the sun too. 

A wonderfully colourful view with intriguing lines and plenty of appeal. 

Aftermath of La Palma’s Volcano Eruption

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 16
Enrico Pescantini/Siena Awards

It's an aerial image of the aftermath of the massive eruption of volcano Cumbre Vieja which destroyed 3,000 buildings and plenty of the landscape too. 

This is a brilliant shot that almost looks like it was Photoshopped. Sadly it actually tells a story of disaster and loss. 

It's an aerial image of the aftermath of the massive eruption of volcano Cumbre Vieja which destroyed 3,000 buildings and plenty of the landscape too. Including over 55 miles of roads like this one. 

Wings of the White Cliffs

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 17
Alexey Kharitonov/Siena Awards

Another of the commended photos from the nature category shows some brilliant cliffs with fantastic shapes. 

Another of the commended photos from the nature category shows some brilliant cliffs with fantastic shapes. 

These are the White Cliffs of Iturup Island, a famous landmark of the island which stretches across the shoreline of the Okhotsk Sea. 

The Tidal tree

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 18
Tony Hewitt/Siena Awards

This brilliant image looks like a tree's roots spreading across the landscape but is actually water cutting its way through the dry land.

From Western Australia comes this brilliant image that looks like a tree's roots spreading across the landscape but is actually water cutting its way through the dry land.

Nature's Eye

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 19
Jim Picôt/Siena Awards

Lake Tyrrell in Victoria, Australia is a pink salt lake which has an intriguing sight that looks like a tiger's eye when seen like this from above. 

Lake Tyrrell in Victoria, Australia is a pink salt lake which has an intriguing sight that looks like a tiger's eye when seen like this from above. 

It's these sorts of aerial photos that give a new perspective that can really change your view of a place. 

The Unicorn

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 20
Shuai Wu/Siena Awards

This is a single aerial view of the impressive manmade sights of Unicorn Island, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. 

This is a single aerial view of the impressive manmade sights of Unicorn Island, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. 

The brilliant architecture has some fascinating geometrical shapes that really draw the eye.  

Geothermal delights

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 21
David Swindler/Siena Awards

This image from the Icelandic Highlands shows a fantastically vivid blue pool nestled inside a geothermal crust.

This image from the Icelandic Highlands shows a fantastically vivid blue pool nestled inside a geothermal crust. The contrasting colours really make this one stand out. 

Red river

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 22
Thomas Dressler/Siena Awards

Nature has some incredible views if you take the time to look. Here we're seeing an aerial view of a river that's turned red due to oxidised iron in the area. 

Nature has some incredible views if you take the time to look. Here we're seeing an aerial view of a river that's turned red due to oxidised iron in the area. 

This photo was submitted to the abstract category and featured as a commended image. 

Together

Astounding images from the Drone Photo Awards 2022 photo 23
Nikita Dukhnik/Siena Awards

We find these wedding photos taken with drones particularly interesting. Certainly not your average shot. 

We find these wedding photos taken with drones particularly interesting. Certainly not your average shot. 

This one features a giant face which just happened to be around thanks to a music festival that was happening nearby.