BEHOLD: The most amazing, award-winning drone photos in the world

Drones have changed the world of photography, empowering amateurs and lower-budget photographers to shoot from vantage points that were once only accessible to famous, well-funded shooters like George Steinmetz and Vincent Laforet.

The result is a proliferation of gorgeous aerial photos. For the third year in a row, Dronestagram has collected submissions to its annual contest. This year's winners were selected with the input of National Geographic photographer Patrick Witty.

Check them out below.