[Objective] The water consumption and yield in the drip regulated deficit irrigation were studied by field experiment in order to provide a theoretical basis for the high yield planting of Isatis tinctoria in arid and semi-arid areas.[Methods] Water consumption and yield changes were analyzed by field trials.[Results] The water consumption in the vegetative growth period was gradually reduced with the increase of water deficit. Compared with the one of CK, water consumptions of regulated deficit irrigation reduced significantly by 4.11%~15.71%(p < 0.05). In an overall, the water consumption intensity basically showed its minimum in the seedling stage(about 0.90 mm/d). In the fleshy root maturity stage, it was larger(about 1.60 mm/d); and in the vegetative growth and fleshy root growth period, it got the largest(about 3.00 mm/d). There was no significant difference between the ones of WD₄(mild water deficit during growth and fleshy root growth) treatment and CK(p > 0.05). The yield of Isatis tinctoria reached 8 235.32 kg/hm². Treatment of WD₁(mild water deficit during vegetative growth) had the highest water use efficiency 23.62 kg/(hm²·mm), the one of WD₄ was 6.74% and its was higher than the one of CK. Comparatively, WD₄ was the best treatment.[Conclusion] Moderate water deficit had no significant yield difference with the one of CK, hence it can effectively reduce the water consumption of each growth period and correspondingly improve the water use efficiency. However, severe water deficit leads to a significant decrease in soil moisture, which is not conducive to the growth of Isatis tinctoria.