Quick update for anyone who chances upon this post, A SOLUTION HAS BEEN FOUND! 
Essentially, the idea is to download the image into the Make environment instead of uploading the file directly from a public domain. A loom video by Growwstacks explains it pretty well, you may find his answer here: Google Drive upload file from public URL - #2 by SebastianMertens
If you prefer a more step by step solution, this website explains the same thing: How to upload a file to Google Drive using Make.com (formerly Integromat) - Landbot Help
In conclusion, Iām missing the HTTP request module which will make this whole automation work 