AN AIR AMBULANCE flying over Kelty only narrowly avoided disaster as a drone came within 300 feet of a potential crisis in the sky.

An official investigation carried out by the UK Airprox Board found that a drone almost hit the helicopter that had just flown a patient to hospital.

The drone came so close to the aircraft that safety was compromised, a report found.

The Airbus EC135 was at 1,500ft at around 2.15pm on April 17 when the front seat paramedic 'gesticulated and pointed' out of the pilot's window.

"The pilot did not see the conflict but both front and rear paramedics confirmed it as a quadcopter-type drone which passed down the right-hand side of the aircraft at between 100m and 150m distance, and only slightly below their level (1500ft altitude – approximately 1000ft agl – at that point)," the report said.

"There was no time for avoiding action, the threat had passed before they would have had time to react. The encounter was reported to Edinburgh Approach before leaving the frequency."

The report continued: "The Edinburgh ATC investigation found that [the EC135] left the control zone to the north via Kelty at 1,100ft.

"When [the EC145] was abeam Portmoak, the crew requested a frequency change to Perth. In reply, the crew reported a drone in the vicinity of Kelty at a height of 1000ft.

"The controller acknowledged the drone and [the EC135 pilot] left the frequency. The controller informed the next aircraft that was routing via Kelty of the drone report.

"On passing Kelty, [the pilot] reported no obvious sign of any drone-type aircraft."

The UK Airprox Board's opinion is that the reported altitude and/or description of the object were sufficient to indicate that it could have been a drone, and graded the risk factor at a C-level.

In determination, the report stated: "The Board considered that the pilot’s overall account of the incident portrayed a situation where although safety had been reduced, there had been no risk.