Not useful
The Drake Equation was never remotely useful, and IMHO not even a valid starting point for discussion.
The reason is simple: we had then and have now, absolutely no idea the probability of life arising on a planet, even one like Earth, nor the chances of its survival, nor the odds that it will develop into a radio civilisation. The odds could be 50:50. They could be 1 in 10^100. We have only a sample of one (here) which is statistically meaningless.
Until and unless we observe some life Out There, the Drake Equation don't mean squat.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
