A short article via Lawfare, it starts with this and my bold added:
Many analysts, practitioners, and scholars are skeptical of the efficacy of drone strikes for counterterrorism, suggesting that they provide short-term gains at best and are counterproductive at worst. .....Contrary to the skeptics, I find that drone strikes in Pakistan were effective in degrading the targeted armed groups. And, troublingly, they succeeded in doing so even though they harmed civilians.
There are numerous links within, which I have not explored.
Link:https://www.lawfareblog.com/us-drone...stan-revisited