This raises an interesting idea. If vehicle drone deployment is implemented, there could be dedicated drone ships, as you've suggested, or hull/passenger spaces could be taken up for drone bays.

Furthermore, variety is key. There could be countermeasure drones, drones which light up visible targets with lasers, drones which create shield bubbles, hacking drones. So many possibilities. And each drone type would require its own skills or unique prerequisites, so no one can simply get a few general skills and have access to every type of drone. Much more diversity in the skies would be lovely.

Also, I'm hoping when a dropship hits a drone, its the drone that explodes first? Please let this be the case.

I support this idea. +1 for the OP, because Drones are awesome.

What about the TK-70 from Dust's playstation home event?
http://rewards.yourpshome.net/dust-514-tk-70-personal-drone.html
Add a new slot for the Gallente class to fit these guys on
Once in battle they follow you around and repair your or any close by teammates (Gallente version, Caldari restores sheilds)
Basic: 5,000 isk
25 shields
50 armor
repairs 5hp/s
Advanced: 15,000 isk
50 shields
50 armor
repairs 10hp/s
Prototype: 25,000 isk
60 shields
75 armor
repairs 15hp/s

Personally, I'd rather see drones on a smaller(clone portable) scale.

I'll pay you the same courtesy you paid me and plug my own thread with ideas for player controlled drones inside of yours:

https://forums.dust514.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=68731&find=unread

and in response:

yes, the drones are fairly small(with the exception of the point drone, it would be fairly large compared to the others, but significantly more durable and it doesn't fly around, basically a hovering turret.) hence the points for shooting them out of the air

the one attack drone(point drone) would track and fire on targets within it's field of view, attempting to sync on targets the player is aiming at/firing on.

the recon drone is automatic, providing intel on any suit that it can effectively scan within it's radius.

the repair drones can be assigned targets with a tap of L1 or hold to assign all at once to a single player.

Dunno if this was said but I would rather see drones as a consumable assets for certain kinds of matches.

Sabotage where you deploy them over an opponents district, locking their districts productivity, and forcing them into PvE matches to clear the districts, or during competitive PvP matches where they spawn from drone bays you call down and target the various unit types they are effective against.

If this was PROMISED, and I mean no **** SWORN to be on the way, I guarantee I'd drop $150 at least every two months, possibly every month on skill boosters to spec into them. HELLO unique game defining feature, and HELLO money fountain for CCP. This is by far the best idea I've ever seen. +1, dude.