Inspiration

Why You Should Travel With a Drone

First reason: The photos and videos they take are unreal. Secondly? You could also win prizes by entering SkyPixel's contest.
Image may contain Tent Water and Outdoors
Photo by 郑戈

Travel is all about exploring the unknown, expanding the mind, and—let's be real—bragging rights. As technology becomes such an integral part of traveling, the ways in which we share our experiences are also becoming more sophisticated. Enter the drone—once a tool reserved for tech geeks, pro filmmakers, and the military, camera-mounted aerial vehicles are quickly becoming more consumer-friendly, while also packing performance into ever smaller (and more travel-friendly) packages. Sure, slap an obscure filter onto your iPhone pic of the beach and you've got an Instagram-ready beauty shot. But launch an HD camera 100 feet into the air, punch a few commands into your controller, and watch as it makes a slow, perfectly stable arc along the shoreline—picking up the crashing waves and surfers beyond the break. Your travel photography just hit a whole new level.

Why not get a different view of your favorite beach?

Courtesy Skypixel

We've made no secret of our love of drones as a travel accessory, but we're not the only ones who like seeing the world from a whole new perspective. With that in mind, Traveler has signed on as a partner for a new drone video competition, hosted by aerial enthusiasts SkyPixel and industry-leaders DJI. Until August 2, 2017, you can enter your own drone footage in the contest's three categories—Nature, City, or Sport—and if the panel of judges picks your submission, you could win a new DJI Inspire 2 Premium Combo, Nikon D750 Body + 24-70 mm VR 2.8 Lens, and other equipment to elevate your droning even more. If you don't have that award-worthy footage yet, there's still time. Pack it up and hit the skies.

This article was originally published in 2016. It has been updated with new information.