I'm considering taking PP settlement missions, is the no data-in-dataports bug been fixed? Have heard that it's borked again recently.
The bug was is if the settlement was in a system
NOT controlled by any Galactic Power, then it had no
Odyssey materials in the lockers, crates, laying around on tables, etc. Since you'll be targeting settlements that
are within controlled systems of a GP you shouldn't have any problems. I've had no issues finding Power Play-related data at Data Ports.
Per Nowski's recommendation for resetting the Data Ports, leave the settlement, enter Supercruise, fly above the DRP altitude on your HUD's altimeter, and land again (you don't have to fly all the way up to the
ORB(it) OC level). I find heading straight up at 90 degrees until you're free of the planet's mass lock, entering Supercruise, pulling back on the stick to pitch your nose up until you're now flying away at a 55 degree angle, waiting until you pass the DRP point by a few kilometers, and then pulling back on the stick again until you've completed a 180 degree turn facing the settlement will give you the correct approach angle while depositing you at the same orientation with the settlement as when you left.
You'll probably want to
NOT use the settlement's landing pad. Landing manually will more often place you closer to the settlement as well as allowing you to choose which building you're nearest to than the pad. If you're just downloading a couple times, this doesn't matter. But if you're going to do it repeatedly (say, to Undermine or Reinforce a system), then the time saved from that shorter distance to walk as well as placing you closer to the first building you want to enter (typically the one with the settlement alarm if you're Undermining) will add up to significant time savings over repeated runs.
I'm going to pretend they're stunned, not dead 
From the looks of it, the person you're stunning must be unshielded and not wearing armour.
