Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 2755; Flight Crew Type 1900
Situational Awareness; Distraction; Training / Qualification
Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Unauthorized Flight Operations (UAS)
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Weather
I wish to report unauthorized drone use. I was flying IFR; in IMC in and out of clouds near Weston; West Virginia; approximately 20 nm SW of Clarksburg West Virginia. My aircraft; a Cessna 172; was at 7;000 ft. enroute to ZZZ. Conditions of flight were: I was mostly above a broken layer; going in and out of cloud occasionally. I observed a drone pass approximately 300 ft. beneath me. Size is a guess; but I think it was less than two feet in diameter; with a blue light on top. The light could have been sun glare though. I reported the sighting to ATC; Clarksburg Approach they; of course; could do little as they weren't painting a primary target. They did warn other aircraft in the vicinity. I also am convinced that the drone had to be penetrating IMC as I was; it was more likely at the lower altitude because the broken layer was thicker below me. An in flight collision with such a craft would be catastrophic to a C-172; or any aircraft for that matter.
General aviation pilot reported a near miss with a UAS in IMC conditions on an IFR flight plan and advised ATC.