Residents were terrified as a mapping drone was spotted flying above homes, sparking fears of foreign invasion in Thailand.

Footage shows the aerial device that resembled a bomber plane on an air raid hovering over properties near a road in Kanchanaburi on May 6.

It made a loud buzzing sound and circled around the airspace before touching down on a grassy field.

However, the Royal Thai Air Force later clarified that the aircraft was a VTOL SUD 60 unmanned aerial vehicle.

Local Kitti said: 'The drone flew over Sangkhla Buri airspace for hours. Now we know that the Thai military's flight was a survey of the entire Thai border in the province.'

Worried onlookers reported the sighting to officials and sent two F16 fighter jets to identify for safety measures.

Air Marshal Prapas Sornchaidee, spokesman of the Royal Thai Air Force, said: 'The Air Surveillance and Control Unit detected an unidentified aircraft resembling a K-8 light attack aircraft.

'We conducted a combat air patrol over Mueang and Sai Yok districts in Kanchanaburi Province.'

The drone was found to be used by the army for aerial photography missions to create maps, conduct 2D and 3D terrain surveillance, and survey remote areas without the need for a runway.