I think you got that right. Most of the UAV missions I see could be better done at lower cost with powered airplanes. Consider a proposal I just saw for powerline patrol using drones. Wouldn't it be cheaper to use a Cessna 150 with a pilot than go to all the trouble of certifying a UAV (which won't be cheap) and having to still have an operator on the ground a likely additional people to verify traffic avoidance.
This thread does seem to conjure up some very bad examples! Powerline inspection is probably one of the best examples of where a UAV
DOES make sense. Use of piloted aircraft in this domain is expensive and potentially hazardous in bad weather and bad terrain.
One of the strongest arguments for pilotless aircraft is the removal of the pilot from a hazardous situation. An argument that kind of loses its strength for passenger aircraft.