Remote sensing driven yield analysis of UAV and manual nutrient spraying in maize cultivation

Abstract:

The field trial examines the efficiency of nutrient application using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) versus manual spraying in maize (Zea mays L.) cultivation. The field trial was conducted at the Hands Free Hectare (HFH) testing site of J Farm Research Centre, Pudupakkam Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, during the kharif season 2021. Field experiments assessed crop yield, monitored Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI) and also yield prediction accuracy under both the application methods. The yield evaluation revealed that UAV spray application (T₁) recorded 128.4% than the tractor mounted conventional method. In relative terms, manual spraying was considered as 100%, while UAV spraying observed a 28.4% higher yield. NDVI analysis consistently showed higher values in UAV treatment plots, indicating stronger canopy vigour, improved nutrient uptake and efficient input utilization. The yield predictive modelling further confirmed that the UAV was superior with accuracy reaching 96.69% compared to 95.52% for manual application. The findings highlight UAV spraying as a promising precision agriculture technique, also capable of reducing labour requirements, ensuring uniform nutrient distribution and promoting sustainability. This research findings provides an evidence supporting UAV assisted nutrient application as a modern alternative to conventional practice in maize production.