I think smaller ones might be useful for network quality testing and mapping. I think carriers drive around with boxes in vehicles to test their own networks reliability and map their competitors.
Octoprint is still a great piece of software that works with most printers, but it's running into a dead end where streaming G Code over the USB Serial emulation isn't fast enough on the newest generation of printers to keep them printing at their full speed.
Weirdly I had the exact opposite experience. Elgato always felt laggy. I bought a no-name USB Stick format card and it looked great (once I got my camera settings dialed in) but would disconnect when I bumped my desk. I cracked the case open and soldered a USB cable I cut in half to the pads, and 3d printed a new case and it's been rock solid for the last 4 years. Only problem is the once in a blue moon I need to use Teams my video get's horizontally squished and I can't seem to fix it.
I can say that in San Antonio where I live and also operate a ADSB receiver the dedicated air force flight trainers (T38 Talons and T6 Texans) routinely fly with ADSB on. The C5 cargo plans also fly with ADSB on when doing training but I've seen non-training flights fly overhead with ADSB off.
I can actually receive high flighting planes over Del Rio so it would be interesting to see if they are reporting bad NIC values.