Unmanned aerial vehicle authorization system and method

An authorization system comprising:

• a controller of an external computing device that is off-board an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and communicatively connected to the UAV, the controller including one or more processors and configured to obtain first software for controlling a piece of equipment onboard the UAV, the controller configured to receive a license that is associated with a user and determine, based on the license, whether the piece of equipment is authorized for operation as controlled by the user, wherein responsive to determining that the piece of equipment is authorized, the controller initiates transmission of at least the first software to the UAV;
• and
• a vehicle controller of the UAV configured to receive the first software and install the first software in a memory device onboard the UAV, wherein the vehicle controller is configured to verify that software stored in the memory device, including the first software, is unmodified and licensed prior to permitting the user to operate the UAV and control the piece of equipment, wherein the vehicle controller is configured to verify that the software stored in the memory device is unmodified and licensed by comparing a hash of at least part of the software installed in the memory device to a digital signature of the first software associated with the piece of equipment.