I've never dived where SMBs are actually required like they are in Florida, and don't regularly drift dive. Actually, all my SMB deployments have been practice for situations like that. I've done them all in or close to safety stop range, no deeper than 30 feet.
If I were actually on a drift dive or a place with a lot of random boat traffic, I could see the wisdom in deploying it a bit deeper, say, 50 feet, to give a little more warning. But on an NDL dive, I don't see much value in deploying deep, since it will just eat into your NDL time. Deco dives are another story that I cannot speak to at all.