DJI and SkyPixel are kicking off their eleventh annual picture and video contest, and the 2026 picture contest is freely giving a complete of $200,000 in prizes. Oh sure, that tops final 12 months’s $170,000 prize pool. Thanks, inflation(?), or perhaps simply extra actual funding within the contest!
Photographers and videographers have till March 10, 2026 to submit their greatest work throughout aerial and handheld classes. Winners shall be introduced April 27, 2026.
What’s new for the SkyPixel 2026 picture contest
The 2025 SkyPixel contest was the primary time we ever received a “Handheld” class, a nod to DJI’s Osmo line of cameras. This 12 months, the hand held videography class is increasing to incorporate panoramic views shot with 360-degree cameras. That’s a pleasant addition for creators working with dynamic viewpoints.
One other new factor this 12 months additionally serves as motivation to not procrastinate. For the primary time, individuals can win weekly awards all through the submission interval.
Necessities to enter the SkyPixel 2026 picture contest
Not like some previous years which have allowed you to enter utilizing non-DJI gear, this 12 months’s contest requires you to make use of DJI drones or different cameras (hey, the entire contest is sponsored by DJI)
Aerial Pictures have to be captured with DJI drones (Encourage, Mavic, Air, Mini, Phantom sequence, Neo, or Flip). Photographs must be at the least 3MB with 300dpi decision.
Aerial Videography entries can’t exceed 5 minutes, with at the least 30 seconds shot on eligible DJI drones and over 50% aerial footage required.
Handheld Videography follows related size necessities however makes use of DJI handheld gear like Ronin gimbals, Osmo Motion, Osmo Pocket, Osmo Cellular, Osmo 360, or Osmo Nano sequence.
The prizes
Grand prize winners every obtain a SkyPixel trophy and Creator Contract, plus:
Past the grand prizes, there are 50+ further awards together with Mavic 4 Professional, Avata 2, RS 4 Professional, Air 3S, and Osmo Pocket 3, plus money prizes. All entrants obtain DJI retailer credit (accessible the place DJI has official on-line shops).
So what are we trying to compete with? Beneath is the successful picture of the 2025 SkyPixel contest:
That compelling shot, titled Mysterious Realm by Gangerqia, is a top-down picture of a frozen pond.
I additionally received a kick out of this picture, which was one other winner, titled, Mud Tub Bliss by AB Gusai.
And I’ve to shoutout one in every of my buddies, Joanna Steidle, for her shot, One other World. It not solely received the 2025 SkyPixel contest, however has gone on to win quite a lot of different prizes together with 1st place within the wildlife class on the 2025 Siena Drone Awards. That very same picture can also be revealed within the “Nationwide Geographic World From Above” e-book by Jeffrey Kerby.
Who’s judging the SkyPixel 2026 picture contest?
The images panel contains out of doors photographer Jake Guzman, panorama photographer Daniel Kordan, and Jiang Ping, former chief photographer for Nationwide Geographic China.
Video judges convey some severe credentials: Oscar-winning cinematographer Wally Pfister (The Darkish Knight, Inception), Ryan Hosking (Yellowstone), Zeng Jian (Blind Therapeutic massage), and pure historical past cinematographer Benjamin Hardman, who’s labored with Netflix, BBC, and Nationwide Geographic.
Learn how to enter
Like final 12 months, you possibly can submit by the official SkyPixel web site or DJI’s social channels (Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Fb, and X).
Full contest guidelines and submission particulars can be found at skypixel.com/contests/2025.
Since launching in 2015, the SkyPixel contest has acquired over 500,000 submissions from greater than 140 international locations. The platform now has 55 million registered customers.
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