## 2 Materials and Methods
### Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Data Acquisition
Additionally, during the transition from the V10 stage to the tasseling stage or Vegetative Tassel (VT), which involves the emergence of the tassel and the initiation of pollen shedding, the demand for nutrients and water increases significantly to meet the \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Flight** & **Maize** & & **Growth** & **Flight** \\
**Number** & **Growth Days** & & & **Stage** & **Altitude (m)** \\ \hline  
ay 2023 & R6 & 30 and 100 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Image acquisition by UAV flights. growth requirements. In response, we decided to implement precision fertilizer technology to optimize soil fertility. It is essential to be aware that the presence of insects and the occurrence of hail injuries during this critical stage can potentially reduce kernel production. The silking stage (R1) is a crucial phase for determining maize grain yield. In our research, silks emerged and became receptive to pollen on day 65. Physiological maturity can be estimated by adding 50 to 55 days from the R1 stage. By day 72, we observed the blister stage (R2), characterized by the swelling and milky fluid filling of kernels, resembling blisters. This stage represents a significant milestone in maize development, marking the transition from vegetative growth to reproductive growth and the initiation of kernel development. It is important to note that drought conditions during the R2 stage can cause substantial yield reductions, ranging from 50% to 60% per day. Therefore, providing adequate nutrients and water during this stage is essential to support proper kernel development and maturation, ultimately influencing the final grain yield. In our research, we observed the reproductive stage (R3) (milk stage) on day 85. This stage is characterized by the continued filling of kernels with a milky fluid, reaching their maximum size. The R3 stage plays a pivotal role in determining the potential yield of maize as it represents a critical period for kernel growth and development. Subsequently, during the reproductive stage (R4) (dough stage), significant changes occur as the kernels gain dry weight and size, acquiring a doughy consistency. The transition to the reproductive stage R5 (dough stage) was observed on day 99. At this stage, the kernels continue to develop, filling with a dough-like substance and transitioning from a milky appearance to a more solid texture. Finally, on day 113, the maize plant approached physiological maturity at the reproductive stage R6 (physiological maturity stage). At this stage, the kernels were in their late developmental phases, indicating the culmination of the growth process. During all flights, Ground Control Points (GCPs) are captured and serve as reference points for the creation of image mosaics. This practice ensures consistency and enables effective comparison between images obtained on different dates. The resulting mosaic images possess a Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) of 0.016 m and 0.053 m when captured at flight altitudes of 30 m and 100 m, respectively. To maintain uniformity across all acquired images captured at various stages of growth, a series of processing steps were applied.