To clarify, I am pretty sure they are talking about flybys by actual manned fighters. But it's a fair point that shooting down an unmanned drone is a lot less

To clarify, I am pretty sure they are talking about flybys by actual manned fighters. But it's a fair point that shooting down an unmanned drone is a lot less aggressive than shooting down a manned one. Of course, not starting a war with aliens that don't shoot seems wise.