There are multiple approaches.

How fast can Dragonfire recharge, how quickly can it target and kill 1,000 drones?

> spray and pray kinetic weapons.

You understand, I hope, that targets can be tracked, and ballistic weapons can accurately place a cloud of shrapnel on a per drone basis.

With the same kind of track and target platforms that would direct a laser ..

> the same kind of track and target platforms

Speed of light is the game changer

Pfft. - Not really your field, is it?

How about total cost, weapon size and footprint, time to charge ..

Speaking of time to charge, you dodged the real question .. how many drones can be targeted and destroyed in (say) 30 seconds?

> Pfft. - Not really your field, is it?

You got me. I know nothing about this and you would definitely be better off asking someone else.

I wonder how easily highly reflective coatings will mitigate Dragonfire.

Very well indeed I think. AFAIK Dragonfire is fully within the optical spectrum. However, there's a similar project we've been working on over here that's a beamforming MASER - that travels right through the housing and fries the electronics.