The recent wide availability of drones has opened up a world of possibilities for photographers.

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More than 5,000 entries were submitted to the second annual Drone Aerial Photography Contest. Both professional photographers and amateur drone photographers submitted photos from all over the globe, offering stunning views of nature, cityscapes, animals and humans from above.

Prizes included publication in the National Geographic magazine, drones and cameras.

The competition was judged by a panel of experts including National Geographic photographer and Pulizer Prize winner Ken Geiger and Jean-Pierre Vrignaud, Editor in Chief of National Geographic France and Dronestagram.

View the above slideshow for the winners of this year's contest.

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