Efficient Explore Strategy - early warning system

[Taera]

Its an idea i had recently and it works pretty fine on every stage of the game.
Im pretty sure that someone thought about it already, but still, you cant be sure.
How does your typical scout look?
A small escort or a frigate with supplies, later a cloak, perharps a scanner and a planetary napalm.
I designed larger (LC) scout with few supplies, but with lots of cargo and a sat launcher. Then i built some realy cheap sats. Loaded them on the ship.
Now once i pass in a system i put a sat there. Better if i have a storm that could cover it.
Works great. Best as early warning to incoming enemy... you'll never send a whole fleet enroute to the enemy to wipe out a single sat would you...