In the unmodded game, I think there is not much difference in that department, except that drones are now also a major PD target, which are much more durable at higher tech. So, a combined drone/fighter attack, especially with ECM/shields/armor, can overpower PD defenses, and since fighters and drones have no maintenance cost, they can be worthwhile to accumulate during peacetime or in limited resource games.
Mods tend to make fighters for valid in various ways, however. In my
Proportions mod, for example, I actually reduced fighter weapon damage by about a factor of five, but then made the to-hit chances very high in their favor, so that PD is not a guaranteed hit, and main weapons usually can't hit them, which makes a world of difference.
PvK