Using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing monitoring system can rapidly and cost-effectively provide crop canopy information for growth diagnosis and precision fertilizer regulation. RapidScan CS-45 (Holland, Lincoln, NE, USA) is a portable active-optical sensor designed for timely, non-destructive obtaining plant canopy information without being affected by weather condition. UAV equipped with RapidScan, is of great significant for rapidly monitoring crop growth and nitrogen (N) status. Two field experiments with different N rates were carried out. Canopy spectral data were measured by RapidScan mounted on the platform of multi-rotors UAV from jointing stage to flowering stage. Growth indices, plant dry matter (PDM), leaf dry matter (LDM) and leaf area index (LAI) were obtained synchronously. And N indicators, plant N accumulation (PNA) and leaf N accumulation (LNA) were measured. The result indicated good relationships between normalized difference red edge index (NDRE) and agronomic parameters (LAI, PDM, PNA, LDM and LNA), with R2 reaching 0.65, 0.57, 0.53, 0.43 and 0.51, respectively; Independent experimental data also validated that UAV-based RapidScan can be used to rapidly monitor growth status and nitrogen nutrition of wheat.