DJI and SkyPixel Launch $170,000 Global Drone Photo Contest, Adding New Handheld Category

The world’s largest drone manufacturer DJI has teamed up with SkyPixel to launch their milestone 10th Annual Photo & Video Contest, featuring a massive prize pool worth over $170,000 and introducing an all-new handheld category for ground-based creators.

Running from November 7, 2024, to February 10, 2025, this year’s competition aims to push creative boundaries under the theme “Explore Without Limits.” The contest marks a decade of aerial excellence while expanding its scope to include more diverse forms of visual storytelling.

A Decade of Aerial Excellence

Since its establishment in 2014, SkyPixel has grown into a powerhouse creative community, boasting over 55 million registered users who have contributed more than 50 million aerial images and videos. The platform’s previous nine contests have attracted over 400,000 submissions and generated more than 1 billion views.

New Categories and Submission Process

This year’s contest features three main categories:

1. Aerial Photography: Open to all DJI drone models including Inspire, Mavic, Air, Mini, and Phantom series
2. Aerial Videography: Requires at least 30 seconds of drone footage within a 5-minute maximum length
3. Handheld Videography: A new category celebrating ground-based creativity using DJI’s Ronin, Osmo, and handheld camera lines

Star-Studded Judging Panel

The competition boasts an impressive lineup of industry experts, including:

• Academy Award-winning cinematographer Claudio Miranda (Top Gun: Maverick)
• National Geographic’s Assistant Managing Editor-Photography Anne Farrar
• Award-winning landscape photographer Weimin Chu

Grand Prizes That Match Grand Ambitions

The contest will crown three grand winners:

• Best Photo: Hasselblad X2D 100C kit (valued at $14,000)
• Best Aerial Video: DJI Inspire 3 drone package (valued at $20,000)
• Best Handheld Video: DJI Ronin 4D-8K cinema camera kit (valued at $15,000)

DroneXL’s Take

The addition of the handheld category represents a significant evolution in DJI’s approach to visual storytelling. While the company built its reputation on aerial photography, this expansion acknowledges the growing importance of ground-based stabilized footage in professional content creation. The contest’s impressive prize pool and partnership with Hasselblad also underscore DJI’s commitment to both professional drone applications and traditional photography excellence.

Share your thoughts on this exciting competition in the comments below. Will you be entering? Which category interests you most?