You are right it threads a very fine line of potential abuse, but I believe people would find utility in it RP-wise, not only making money.
Binski already mentioned using it in conjunction with docking modules, and I have an idea brewing about smuggling gameplay overhaul where this would also come in handy.
You could for example use your cap with great scanning range "as radar" to detect smugglers and then quickly switch to your docked interceptor light fighter or join a friend in a strike launched from a carrier.
But I agree the anomaly mining abuse might be a problem. Still, if you make it an equipment module you can actually restrict usage of this module to carriers and fighters.
It would definitely make carrier gameplay "different" to other caps, in lieu of the failed drone plugin.
