1. In GalCiv 2, you could activate the guard command by pressing 'g', or automate a ship by pressing 'a' (what it does depends on the equipment, a survey ship might go out an survey). There were many other ,keyboard shortcuts, the complete list is here:
https://www.galciv.wikia.com/wiki/Keyboard_shortcuts

3. You can not use upgrade to change the hull size of ships. It was like that in the previous game, GalCiv 2. In GalCiv 3, a survey ship is a medium hull, while a scout is tiny and an explorer is a small. That said, you can design your own ships so that you have tiny and small hulls that are equipped with a survey module.

1) You are correct.  It has been mentioned as being on the list of priorities.  I look forward to it, but not real soon.  That is probably a late step in the process.

2) I am lost here, what are "L" and "V".  Why would you want keyboard movement keys?  I can't visualize where that would be superior to point and click in GalCiv movement mechanics.  Can you give an example?

I agree that moving through the out of range area is bogus.  I use it all the time.  I used it in GC2.  I figure the ships are on ballistic cruising mode until back in controlled space.  I enjoy it, but I wouldn't be sorry to see it go.

3)  As was said, it is all about hull sizes.  It is what is inside that defines the function, and that can change.  It stretches the imagination to think I can suddenly convert a ship from lasers to missiles by spending money.  Changing hull size makes no sense to me.

Except via a wormhole. This has been part of the game since GC1.

@Taslios    RTS isn't the point.   Hotkeys are always needed.    Makes game play more efficient, period.

@All those #2 haters (Yes, you are all failing to understand my point):  Sometimes I want to chart the path of the ship precisely.  I want to set waypoints for a ship.  I would even like to have it tell me if an anomaly is found in range for a ship with survey, but that probably asking too much.  These forced L paths don't make for very good resolution to unsearch area within one's range.
In GalCiv2 there was the ability to auto explore and auto survey.    This functionality is currently either or the other.

@All those #3 haters:  One of you claims that you can upgrade any ship to any other ship.   This isn't a true statement.  I want to upgrade by scouts, to explorers, to survey ships.  I cannot upgrade to survey ships is what I found so far.  I don't know about the current beta.  Either way, upgrades should be based on module type: constructor, colony, survey, etc.... if the previous ship and the new ship have that module then allow that upgrade.  Simple.

@Ya'all Relax and conquer the galaxy!