Aerial

It’s not just the Mulders of the world watching the skies anymore – the Scullys are getting involved. The US Department of Defense (DoD) has released its latest report on UFOs, with some intriguing stats and stories.

Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) have unveiled a new type of amphibious vehicle that can hover like a drone, take winged flight like a plane, then dive at high speed underwater like nothing else – called the Nezha-SeaDart.

Arizona's Revolute Robotics has presented its autonomous Hybrid Mobility Robot (HMR), a whirling, spherical cage that can fly like a multicopter, or roll in any direction using two gyroscopic gimbal rings. It's one heck of a thing to see in motion.

In its second year, the Minimalist Photography Awards delivers another spread of images affirming the ethos, “less is more.” With a focus on abstract patterns and colorful contrasts, this photo contest celebrates images pared back to the bare essentials.

One of photographer Toby Harriman's personal projects over the past few years has been exploring the unique designs of different airports, and his slowly expanding Airport Aerials project is offering truly unique perspectives on these massive spaces.

For over a decade photographer Bernhard Lang has been working on a massive project called Aerial Views. From the abstract spectacle of solar power plants to the dense urban jungle of Manilla, Lang has extensively explored our world from above.

A new series of photographs from award-winning aerial photographer Tom Hegen explores the abstract beauty in icebergs. Shot off the west coast of Greenland, Hegen’s work captures the majesty of these giant white castles.

Water.Shapes.Earth is a spectacular photographic project from veteran artist and storyteller Milan Radisics. The project tells the story of how water shapes the planet using aerial photography to deliver a series of stunning images that sit on the border between abstract art and documentary realism.

German photographer Tom Hegen has been capturing the interactions between humans and nature for several years. Using everything from drones to hot air balloons, Hegen’s work offers stunning, surreal and abstract aerial perspectives on such subjects as coal mining, aquaculture and tulip farms.

A few days ago NASA’s IceBridge project hit the news, but not for any scientific observations. Instead, a photo of a strange rectangular iceberg captured people’s imagination. Now, NASA has offered up a few more shots of this unusual sight, helping explain this common yet rarely seen phenomenon.

NASA's Operation IceBridge is currently gathering measurements of Antarctic land and sea ice. The data it gathers will be compared to measurements from the newly orbiting ICESat-2, while the images captured provide a breathtaking look in and around the frozen continent.

Stas Bartnikas has only been practicing the art of aerial photography for about five years but in a remarkably short time this Moscow-based former journalist has produced an incredible collection of images highlighting glorious and surreal sights of over 15 countries from above.