This image titled Pink-Footed Geese Meeting the Winter, taken in Levanger, Norway, won drone photo of the year.(Terje Kolaas)

An image of geese flying over snow-covered central Norway has taken out the top prize in an international contest recognising photographer's usage of drone technology.

The Drone Awards 2021 crowned winners across eight categories from tens of thousands of aerial images submitted by photographers from 102 countries worldwide.

Along with aerial images of wildlife, the awards recognised photos taken using drone technology in categories such as weddings, nature, urban, sport and abstract.

The winning images will be showcased in an exhibition held during the Siena Awards visual arts festival, in Siena, Italy from late next month.

Photo of the year

The image by Norwegian birder and photographer Terje Kolaas captured thousands of pink-footed Geese flying in spring over snow-covered grounds in central Norway. The geese, travelling to their breeding grounds on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, arrive earlier every year in what may be a result of climate change.

The animals follow a familiar path, making the set-up for the drone image possible.

Sport photo of the year

This image Gold at the End of the Rainbow was taken by Australian photographer Phil De Glanville off the coast of WA.(Phil De Glanville)

Australian photographer Phil De Glanville took this image of surfer Ollie Henry surfing a large wave off the south-west coast of Western Australia.

Wedding photo of the year

This drone wedding photograph is titled Verso l'Infinito Insieme a Te (To Infinity With You).(Matteo Originale)

Italian photographer Matteo Original captures a cloudy sunset above a bride and groom on the coast of Tuscany.

Urban photo of the year

This photograph Metaphorical Statement About City and Winter was taken in Dzerzhinsky, Russia. (Sergei Poletaev)

Russian photographer Sergei Poletaev's image features a 500-year-old monastery near Moscow in the foreground, with steam from power plant cooling towers rising in the distance behind.

Wildlife photo of the year

This image titled Back to Adventure was taken in Oman.(Qasim Al Farsi)

This aerial shot of a green turtle returning to the water after laying eggs on the coast of Oman, was taken by local photographer Qasim Al Faris between Ras Al Jinz and Rashad turtle reserve.

People photo of the year

This image Fishing in Mangrove Forest was taken in Hue, Vietnam.(Trung Pham Huy)

Vietnamese photographer Trung Pham Huy's wintry image captured a fisherman beginning his work day travelling through the mangrove forest of Tam Giang lagoon.

Nature photo of the year

This image titled Extragalactic was taken above a volcano in Iceland.(Martin Sanchez)

American photographer Martin Sanchez captured a view of a volcano erupting in Iceland, giving a view of the interior of the crater.

Abstract photo of the year

This image Poisoned River was taken in Geam?na, Transylvania.(Gheorghe Popa)

Romanian photographer Gheorghe Popa shows small channels filled with poison. The abstract patterns are created after chemical waste from copper and gold mining enters the stream.