From majestic animals to sweeping waterfalls and lakes - these are among the best drone images of 2017 that showcase the world from above.

The images, chosen by photo-sharing site Dronestagram, reveal 20 of the most stunning shots taken across the world last year.

Spectacular scenery is quite common in memorable drone images, but close ups of people and animals was a common theme in 2017.  

Those photos to make the cut included a leaping polar bear in Northern Canada, a woman harvesting water lilies in Vietnam, window washers in Moscow City and a herd of hippos swimming in Tanzania.

But there was also no shortage of epic scenery with shots of the Namibian sand dunes, beautiful beaches across the world and the concrete jungle that is Dubai also making it.

The images were among the thousands of drone photos shared on the social media site over the year. 

The best of 2017's drone images: A woman harvests water lilies in a pond in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam

Montenegro: This shot shows the five star island hotel Sveti Stefan

Cracked mud boating: A family sailing on Burke Lake in Virginia in the United States

Majestic leap: A large polar bear in Northern Canada is spotting crossing between two pieces of glacier

Fields of gold: Gardeners pick marigolds in the morning in Sukhothai province of Thailand

This shot of two women and two stingrays was shot in French Polynesia

Hippos: This herd of hippopotamus was pictured swimming in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania

Two scooters are pictured crossing the bridge in Chiang Mai, Thailand

A diver swam with this whale in the ocean off Peninsula Valdes in Argentina

A boat explores the Melissani cave on the Greek island of Cephalonia 

Window cleaners get to work on the Dawn on Mercury Tower in Moscow City

Concrete jungle: A breathtaking aerial view of Dubai's high rise buildings

A Portuguese surfer braves the cold temperatures back in February 2017

Rising waters: This home is in Alexandria Bay between New York and Canada

A woman is pictured on a beach in Rio De Janeiro in Brazil

Stairway to heaven: The long staircase leading to one of the most beautiful beaches in the Algarve, Portugal

The tropical island beaches of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic

A couple are pictured in a classic blue Ford Mustang Convertible, driving on historic Route 66

A number of quadbike riders are pictured crossing the Namibian sand dunes when the sun falls under the horizon

Salt fields: Workers are pictured at salt fields near the Mekong River in Vietnam

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