SE IV drone use question

[PvK]

Is there a way to get anti-planet drones to launch from a drone carrier during combat, or as soon as a fleet reaches a target sector?

I just tried (Proportions 2.5.2.2, but the mod doesn't affect this question) to use a bunch of drone carriers, and found they didn't launch against planets in combat. The drone carriers survived the first turn, so I gave them strategic orders to launch drones, but their random placement got them shot by weapon platforms in the first combat round, which I think stalled the fleet before they could launch strategically... though really I have no explanation why I just got a series of combats watching all my ships get killed, finally even the light carrier which wasn't even in the fleet in the last battle. I think maybe the game just decided to doom that fleet (just kidding... I'm sure at least my victim is breathing a sigh of relief... ).

PvK