I think that the derilect ships are just planets to be colonized.
What sort of drone errors? Are they in AI files or in one of the data files (components, techarea, vehiclesize)? If they are AI files, use the following instructions to patch whichever AI race is giving you trouble to Gold compatibility:
http://www.spaceempires.net/home/ftopict-302.html
Eventually, I hope to get a compiled, working version set up somewhere, so we can avoid all of this trouble...