Integration of UAV Multispectral and Meteorological Data to Improve Maize Yield Prediction Accuracy

This study, conducted in the Lifang Dryland Experimental Area in Jinzhong, Shanxi Province, China, aimed to develop a method to accurately predict maize yield by combining UAV multispectral data with meteorological information. A DJI Mavic 3M UAV was used to capture four-band imagery (red, green, red-edge, and near-infrared), from which 16 vegetation indices were calculated, along with daily meteorological data. Among eight machine learning algorithms tested, ensemble models, Random Forest and Gradient Boosting Trees performed best, with R2 values of 0.8696 and 0.8163, respectively. SHAP analysis identified MSR and RVI as the most important features. The prediction accuracy varied across growth stages, with the jointing stage showing the highest performance (R2 = 0.7161), followed by the flowering stage (R2 = 0.6588). The yield exhibited a strip-like spatial distribution, ranging from 6450 to 9600 kg·ha−1, influenced by field management, soil characteristics, and microtopography. K-means clustering revealed high-yield areas in the central-northern region and low-yield areas in the south, supported by a global Moran’s I index of 0.4290, indicating moderate positive spatial autocorrelation. This study demonstrates that integrating UAV multispectral data, meteorological information, and machine learning can achieve accurate yield prediction (with a relative RMSE of about 2.8%) and provides a quantitative analytical framework for spatial management in drought-prone areas.