A model plane fitted with a camera that was hired by German conservationists to capture footage of illegal trapping sites has been hit by lead pellets.

Hunters fired shots at the tiny makeshift spy drone, which was hit by a few lead pellets but survived the “attack”, said Axel Hirschfeld of the Committee Against Bird Slaughter.

Footage from the airplane, which was co-sponsored by German television station RTL, revealed two trapping installations close to Fiddien reservoir in Dingli and a “huge” one on the southernmost point of Delimara, he added.

Police officers from the administrative law enforcement unit were informed of the location of clap nets that were captured by the aircraft’s camera.

A patrol was on the scene in minutes and investigated the well-concealed net and discovered around half a dozen protected bird species, including two Robins, a yellow wagtail and several collared doves, Mr Hirschfeld said.

In optimal climatic conditions, the aircraft has a range of up to 20 kilometres.

Videos, air photographs and a detailed final report will be published on the Cabs homepage next week.