A local flight instructor had to take evasive action to avoid a drone that was flying inside restricted airspace near the Region of Waterloo International Airport.

General Manager at the Waterloo-Wellington Flight Centre, Bob Connors, tells 570 NEWS it happened early Sunday evening, adding whoever was operating that drone was clearly in the wrong.

“Firstly, they shouldn’t of been there at all, period. Secondly, even if he were allowed to be there, he was higher than he should’ve been at 500 ft, as the maximum altitude is 400.”

The Cessna 172 plane was being flown by an instructor, with a student in the cockpit.

Thankfully, the plane landed safely.

Transport Canada is investigating, but Connors says due to current drone regulations, identifying the owner will be difficult.

An initial report from Transport Canada describes the situation this way:

“A Waterloo-Wellington Flying Club Cessna 172S (C-FAKH) on a flight from Kitchener/Waterloo, ON (CYKF) and landing at Kitchener/Waterloo, ON (CYKF) in the circuit reported taking evasive action to miss an unauthorized unmanned air vehicle (UAV) as it turned base to final. The UAV was at the same altitude as the aircraft (500 feet above ground level (AGL)) at approximately 1.5NM final. Runway 14 was active. Local police were notified.”