C172 instructor pilot reported taking evasive action from a medium sized uas with a transponder whic...

Attributes
ACN	1379975
Time
Date	201608
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	UAV - Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Person 1
Function	Instructor
Qualification	Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Commercial
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30 Flight Crew Total 767 Flight Crew Type 370
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude
Miss Distance	Horizontal 1000 Vertical 300

Narrative:

ATC advised of traffic at my nine to ten o'clock descending through 7600. We were level at 7000 MSL. Since there were clouds at our nine to ten o'clock; it was difficult to see the traffic. Finally I observed the traffic flying from west to east; as we were; but converging and descending. As it was getting closer; I advised center that I would need to descend; as collision would be highly likely if we stayed on our assigned altitude. We descended; and I could see the aircraft passing over us through our windscreen. I would estimate about 300 feet above us. I had not received a response from center; so I once again advised center that we were descending to 6000. Center asked the reason; and I replied that it was to avoid what looked like a drone. The aircraft looked like a uav to me; as I could not discern a cockpit windshield area when I had seen it from the side view. The aircraft finally passed to the right (south) of us; and I advised center we would climb back to our assigned altitude of 7000 MSL. Then upon reaching 7000; I advised center that we were level at 7000. About five to ten minutes later; center once again advised that the same traffic was now at our 3 o'clock. I asked for direction of flight; and was told that it was about our direction but faster than us; so it may not be a factor. I never saw the traffic again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 instructor pilot reported taking evasive action from a medium sized UAS with a transponder which ATC observed. Reporter mentioned appeared to be a military aircraft because no cockpit windscreen was visible as it passed overhead.

Narrative: ATC advised of traffic at my nine to ten o'clock descending through 7600. We were level at 7000 MSL. Since there were clouds at our nine to ten o'clock; it was difficult to see the traffic. Finally I observed the traffic flying from west to east; as we were; but converging and descending. As it was getting closer; I advised Center that I would need to descend; as collision would be highly likely if we stayed on our assigned altitude. We descended; and I could see the aircraft passing over us through our windscreen. I would estimate about 300 feet above us. I had not received a response from center; so I once again advised Center that we were descending to 6000. Center asked the reason; and I replied that it was to avoid what looked like a drone. The aircraft looked like a UAV to me; as I could not discern a cockpit windshield area when I had seen it from the side view. The aircraft finally passed to the right (South) of us; and I advised Center we would climb back to our assigned altitude of 7000 MSL. Then upon reaching 7000; I advised Center that we were level at 7000. About five to ten minutes later; Center once again advised that the same traffic was now at our 3 o'clock. I asked for direction of flight; and was told that it was about our direction but faster than us; so it may not be a factor. I never saw the traffic again.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

C172 instructor pilot reported taking evasive action from a medium sized uas with a transponder which ATC observed. Reporter mentioned appeared to be a military aircraft because no cockpit windscreen was visible as it passed overhead.