Just for the record, the Pred is perfectly capable of squawking Mode 3/C/IV and although the lookout capability is (extremely) limited, the launch and recovery crew will be in radio contact with ATC and integrate into the traffic pattern in the same way as a manned ac. However, this is not necessarily the case for the smaller classes of UAV.
I'm happy to be corrected but as far as I recall the UAV/Airbus was attributed to an ATC/airspace control failure i.e. the UAV was where it was supposed to be at the time it was supposed to be there.
I can also reassure Propulike that although the Pred operators don't 'have it all to lose' in the same way as those physically airborne doesn't affect the fact that every possible measure is taken to reduce/remove the risk to manned platforms. The same applies to ground personnel where the decision would be made to throw the aircraft away rather than attempt a risky landing with a damaged/failing bird at a manned airfield. That's not to say I haven't witnessed airproxes and close calls (haven't we all?) but in my experience the most common issue has been with certain specialist platforms not squawking or talking to the airspace control agency and the Pred being cleared into the killbox/keypad. However, it should also be noted that the Pred is equipped with only one V/UHF radio and if you're talking on the JTAC/FAC Freq and the Preds are being cleared in by the airspace control agency, the ability to communicate and co-ordinate/deconflict in real time is reduced. The Pred GCS is fed with the Link 16 picture however, and this helps immensely.
As I said, I can't vouch for operators of other UAVs but the Pred pilots and sensor operators take deconfliction extremely seriously.
SBG