And why the Navy has developed a
drone specifically for refueling aircraft;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_MQ-25_Stingray
Having a weapons platform that doesnt need to rely on tankers nor worry about pilot fatigue is a massive advantage.
It's an interesting concept, but it's a tiny tanker, with basically no fuel on it. Something like a KC-10 is refueling all the heavies(AWACS etc) in the airspace as well as fighters. As a probe and drogue based refueller it would work for fighters, as probe and drogue puts all the effort on the "customer" and fighters aren't creating the same wake turbulence as a heavy which disturbs the flying of the refueller. That being said, AAR is extremely stressful and one of the most difficult things pilots will do. It requires both the tanker and the "customer" to be in constant contact and adjust how they fly so they can keep connected. So I would be interested to see how they overcome that.
Even then it adds an extra 150nm to the combat radius, which is always good but you'll need one for every 4 aircraft. Which with some of the numbers you see in large assaults, like say a Libya. Means you have a fuckton of them, all to do the job of a single KC-10. I can see them being used as a force multiplier augmenting manned tankers. All aircraft in an operational area rely on tankers. It extends their range so they can be stationed in a safe nation, rather than 150 miles from the front and vulnerable to enemy action at takeoff, or enemy bombing.
As well western nations like to play in places that are extremely hot, so take off weight is limited. So if you can offload the fuel requirement needed at takeoff to a tanker and then your heavy once airborne can get the rest of their fuel needed.
As for pilot fatigue, the aircraft breaks before the pilot does. All aircraft have a certain amount of hours they can fly before they have to come back for maintenance. Even drones, which are simpler aircraft have to come down every dozen or so hours so they can be tinkered with. Aircraft are not like a car. They have so many moving parts, and have so many things that can go wrong with them.
All that being said, drones act as a force multiplier for already established capabilities. Augmenting manned capabilities. It will be interesting to see if they can make this drone operational, and yes I know it flies, but to see it approved for actual operations and how it will fit in.
For everyone's reference there are two types of connector for refueling, probe and drogue which is used by the USN and anyone using an F-18. The other is Boom and Spine, which is used by the USAF and has a boom operator in the back of the aircraft maneuvering the boom into place. Probe and Drogue to my understanding is being phased out, but as with anything that can change.
