Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 4; Flight Crew Total 1500; Flight Crew Type 1200
Situational Awareness; Distraction
Conflict NMAC
General None Reported / Taken
Environment - Non Weather Related; Airspace Structure
Approximately 7 miles east of ZZZ under control of tower; I was approaching ZZZ at 2500 MSL cruise. Directly into hazy sunset. I noticed traffic at 2 o'clock at my altitude. I couldn't immediately make out the type aircraft or distance because of unfamiliar shape of craft. I then noticed that it appeared to be not moving (hovering) as I passed it. Then I realized it appeared to have LED NAV lights visible. Then I also realized that it was likely a drone because it didn't look like an airplane or a rotor craft. Then I realized that it was very close because I began to perceive its relative size. I immediately reported it to Tower and asked if he saw a drone at my 5 o'clock position. He said no. I wrongly reported it was about 400 yards off my wing. It was more like 400 feet off my wing. I lost track of it as I passed it but I think it was rather large; most likely a commercial size drone. I verified my reporting time by reviewing the transmission recording on ATC-Live on the internet and recorded the time and estimated the distance by the fact that I checked on at about 10 miles out and reported 2 minutes later. I would like to know the results of this investigation should there be one. I believe that if this object had been at 12 o'clock instead of 2... I might not have seen it in the glare of the sun until it was too late and that would likely have been catastrophic based on my estimate of its size.
Cessna 172 pilot reported a NMAC with a drone at a distance of 0 feet vertical and 400 feet lateral.