Plane hits drone over Adelaide airport

A light plane has been damaged after hitting what's thought to be a drone near Adelaide's Parafield Airport.

The plane, operated by Flight Training Adelaide, was coming in to land on Tuesday night when it was struck by an object, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau says.

The ATSB says the plane sustained minor damage to the right wing but an initial search of the ground under the flight path has not turned up anything.

It says its investigation is continuing and will include examining the aircraft and interviewing the pilot.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority said fines for the improper use of drones ranged from $900 to $9000.