cant private reply, so here goes.
Agreed your post on Sky Raiders is on point. The primary problem with Sky Raider or anything in that weight/performance range is the per hour cost of flight.
One of the reasons for drones is the low cost per hour on station. Something like a OV-10 or AT-6 give a nice middle ground between a “Strike” aircraft and the Predator or Reaper.
The extra set of eyes of also help in many COIN operations I would think.
bolt a PW150 into a A-1E airframe, strengthened and lightened with laid up composites, titanium plates in all the right places and there you go! 4 20mm cannons and 15 hard points.