I'd say it's overly optimistic. If all you do is drop cash from helicopters, it is entirely possible that there is never enough of a sense of economic security

I'd say it's overly optimistic. If all you do is drop cash from helicopters, it is entirely possible that there is never enough of a sense of economic security to encourage the increased small business starts needed to reach a new equilibrium. That's why I don't think that UBI would work unless some of the benefit were supplied as basic goods and services rather than cash. At minimum, the UBI provider would have to supply food, water, housing, sanitation, electricity, and network, along with the cash. Otherwise, between those necessities, incumbent suppliers could capture all the excess cash and send it right back to the owners.