I would not want to be in a Civilian aircraft when
any air combat is going on whether it be between drones and manned jets or jets and jets. The surveillance and targeting systems of current drones are just about equal to what is found on current manned aircraft (Some cases better with ones equipped with ISAR). Only real diffrence is that the manned jet has a guy looking at the picture on a 5x5" screen while the guy flying the drone has a nice 26" monitor.
Reliably is a problem yes. That can be solved by either increasing the quality of drones (work out the bugs) or increase the number of drones.
I think our drones really need a "Self Destruct" for when they go down. Screw retrial. Remember the
Probe Droid in
The Empire Strikes Back? No Stormtroops when looking for him/it. It was comprised so it destroyed its self beyond salvage- useful in a war zone.