Snug polar bears and lava dragons: Take a look at the jaw-dropping Drone Photo Awards 2024 finalists

The Siena Drone Photo Awards has just revealed its shortlist of extraordinary aerial images for its 2024 edition.

This year's nominees include everything from an adorable shot of two polar bears snuggled beside each other to the fiery outline of a dragon shaped by molten lava, taken during the 2023 volcanic eruption of Fagradalsfjall at Litli-Hrútur in Iceland.

The competition spans nine categories (People, Animals, Nature, Urban, Wedding, Sport, Abstract, Series and Video), with five stunning images selected in each.

Here are a handful of our favourites:

Winning photographs will be announced in Siena, Italy, on 28 September 2024.