Even post 'free' upgrades we're looking at HANDL: 5. SPEED: 1R. ACCEL: 1. BODY: 3(0). ARMOR: 15. PILOT: 4. SEN: 4
Handling upgrade 3,000 + Speed Upgrade 1,200 + Acceleration Upgrade 600 + Armor Upgrade 9,000 + Sensor Upgrade 4,000 + Pilot Rating 4 3,200
This totals up to a cost of 21,00 + 25,000 for the base drone for a total cost of 46,000 not counting autosofts.
And what does this get you? Handling 2 points higher than the old standard, but with it's truncated speed it's not worth that much... a damage soak roll the same as the old standard (having dropped 2 points of armor and 1 point of body), enhanced sensors and piloting. At a cost that is fragging close to DOUBLE the original cost of the drone.
I can understand why it might be nerfed for balance reasons... but if you're going to rip something's spine out then lower it's cost to suit, not increase it!