whats their purpose, other than annoyance?
All they do is interfering with pvp. When you kill them, they will respawn and keep annoying and decloaking players who are waiting for engagement, reveal their spots to the enemy, draw aggro from shooting NPC wrecks, jam or damp you when you have an active encounter. All the bad things, for no gain.
Get rid of 'em, place them 80-100km off the gate or put them back to havens, where ppl actually want them.