Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 51; Flight Crew Total 745; Flight Crew Type 27
Distraction; Situational Awareness
Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Unauthorized Flight Operations (UAS); Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors
While flying a Memphis; Tennessee aerial survey at 4;100 ft. MSL; a standard sized commercial drone (Small UAS) went under the right wing with a clearance of 6-8 ft. below the outer segment of the wing. Pilot Flying (PF) did not see the object due to turbulence during the photo mission that required more attention inside the aircraft. Pilot Monitoring (PM) notified Memphis Approach Control of the encounter immediately and gave a detailed description. The event occurred between the Surface-10;000 ft. and 1;800-10;000 foot shelves of the Memphis Class B airspace. Survey mission was performed in VMC under Flight following with Memphis Approach Control. Corrective action was not taken due to the use of autopilot; a rapid closing speed; and only seeing the object as it passed under the right wing of the aircraft.
General aviation pilot reported a near miss with a UAS and reported the incident to ATC.