Good posts Paul, I dont think using a drone to get your bait out to otherwise "unavailable " water is really any different to those east coast anglers who tried using a Kite to carry baits out over 3 or 400 yards off the cliffs a few years ago.
In the US, and maybe over here ? beach anglers after sharks /tope use a paddle or surf boards to get large baits out, with good results.I South Africa some guy invented a "bait bazooka, that fired your end gear from a type of large tube.
Chasing Tope from the beach is probably the only reason could find for using a method to get a good sized bait further out, so far as "normal" fishing is concerned there would be no reason for me to use anything but conventional gear.
It is also good to remind ourselves that anybody using these different methods to get a line into those distant "catch zones" are also possibly putting themselves at a greater disadvantage.... who knows what "scrap " lurks under the water at those distances, also there is the possibility of getting large amounts of weed on your line, which could also result in the sinker and bait getting dragged all over the place, plus cross currents and faster stronger tides could also be a problem . As has already been mentioned the physical problem of getting your line back would be enough to put me off , but it is good imo to see somebody trying something different.
So far as my comments about using a drone in a beach comp, well, they were tongue in cheek, I suppose if one was used , and the user wiped the prize board things would be said, but as ever , if they arent specifically banned then everybody would be free to invest in and use one. I can just see the knitting in a pegged match though l
As others have said, there is certainly great skill in using conventional methods, bait presentation, casting, rigs , knowing the area you are fishing, reading the beach, etc. good beach anglers develop these over time, I dont think using a drone will ever replace these skills, but it just maybe may give you an edge when targetting a certain species.
Millsy