Residents were terrified as a mapping drone resembling a bomber plane hovered over a market near Thailand-Myanmar border.

Footage shows the aerial device flying above homes and shops in Kanchanaburi province on May 6.

The drone looked like an attack aircraft conducting an air raid as it made loud buzzing sounds overhead.

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.