Here's some of my random somewhat useful drilling strategies:

In mining expeditions and egg hunts, I sometimes like drilling those long straight tunnels between caves during the mission and not just when the drop pod lands. Good use of excess drill fuel, makes getting around the cave system easier, and makes extractions even faster when you have a tunnel already ready.

Then this tip is mostly for those caves in point extractions that have a steep ramp-like floor, and where the aquarks and other items tend to roll down all the way to the bottom of the cave. Drilling a trench from the minehead to catch aquarks & whatnot from rolling downhill prevents you from having to collect them all the way from the bottom of the cave. I tend to use a similar strategy in salvage operations as well, where I dig a little hole for the mini-mules so I can throw the legs into it without having them roll down.