Their altitude argument is moot because owners of drones tamper with the software the remove the altitude restrictions. The university could have easily just used a faster aircraft and the speed argument flies out the window. There’s no doubt they are dangerous.
There’s an article floating around about a rescue helicopter at Southport having to delay startup and takeoff on a mission because some clown with their drone was hovering around the helicopter at the spit waiting to takeoff for the rescue mission. Makes your blood boil that one as someone was getting bashed against rocks in the surf and they couldn’t help him.
I hit a large Crane (bird) in a Cirrus at 3500ft and 130 knots. The leading edge popped in and straight out again with only a bit of blood and a 5 inch crack on the leading edge with some missing paint. Would have been pretty bad on a metal wing.