RR_NDB,
In replying to my post, you have missed the point I was trying to make, although you have made another perfectly reasonable one. I doubt it's possible to delay the downgrade from Normal Law. The question is: should the pitch element be downgraded to Pitch-Alternate (retaining C*) or Pitch-Direct (stick-to-elevator and manual THS)? If the latter (for the reason I stated), it would be a very big, instant step. As the system is capable of providing Pitch-Alternate (ALT 2), my suggestion is that it could do that for a period of – say – 20 seconds with an ECAM warning that Direct law will follow. This might give the PF enough time, if necessary, to discard his/her meal tray, retract the table, and concentrate on the job in hand.
BOAC,
I was not expressing an opinion on whether an aircraft might continue or divert following a UAS incident: that would be for the captain to decide. My little tale about hand-flying stick-to-elevator at high altitude was merely to illustrate to the non-flyers on this forum that it involves a significant workload, even in level flight when airspeed indications are available.