As a potato grower, few things are as frustrating as discovering planter skips after it's too late to fix them. Missed plants mean lower yields, uneven tuber sizing, and lost profits. But what if you could detect those skips early - precisely and across your entire field - without hours of walking rows?
At Overwatch Land Mapping, we use drone-based multispectral imagery to identify emergence issues in seed potatoes as early as 20-45 days after planting (DAP). This technology gives you actionable data for smarter replant decisions, insurance claims, and season-long optimization.
Why Early Detection of Skips Matters in Potatoes
"Skips" happen when seed pieces fail to emerge due to poor placement, disease, rot, or environmental stress. In potatoes, uniform stands are critical for consistent tuber development and harvest efficiency.
Detecting skips early (during the emergence and early vegetative stages) allows you to:
- Replant only affected zones, saving seed and labor.
- Document losses accurately for insurance.
- Adjust management to maximize yield from established plants.
Waiting too long risks canopy closure, making skips impossible to spot from the ground or even standard imagery.
The Optimal Timing: 20-45 Days After Planting
The sweet spot for multispectral drone scouting in potatoes is 20-45 DAP, when plants are emerging but the canopy hasn't fully closed. At this stage:
- Emerging potato plants reflect distinct spectral signatures.
- Bare soil or failed areas show clear contrast.
- Drones capture data before issues compound into yield loss.
This window aligns perfectly with potato growth cycles in regions like the Gallatin Valley in Montana, allowing multiple flights if needed for progressive monitoring.
How the Process Works: From Flight to Actionable Maps
Our process at Overwatch Land Mapping is straightforward and efficient:
- Scheduling & Flight - We deploy drones equipped with multispectral sensors over your fields, capturing high-resolution imagery (down to 2 cm/pixel for diagnostic flights).
- Data Analysis - Using AI-powered processing, we generate indices like:
- NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) for overall plant health and presence.
- NDRE (Normalized Difference Red Edge) for chlorophyll content and early stress.
- VARI (Visible Atmospherically Resistant Index) for vegetation density.
- And More
These reveal skips as low-vegetation zones - even when plants are small. - Automated Stand Counts & Skip Maps - The system counts plants automatically and highlights skips or low-emergence areas.
- Custom Reports & Integration - You get clear maps, counts, and recommendations, exportable to tools like John Deere Operations Center for variable-rate applications.
The result? Objective, field-wide data in days, not weeks.
ROI Comparison: Drone Mapping vs. Traditional Methods
Manual scouting - walking fields and sampling rows - is time-honored but limited. It’s labor-intensive, subjective, and often misses variability in large fields.
| Aspect | Manual Scouting | Drone Multispectral Mapping |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Sample-based (e.g., 1-5% of field) | 100% of field, ultra-high resolution |
| Time Required | Hours to days per field | Flight + processing in 1-3 days |
| Accuracy | Human error, fatigue | AI-automated, objective counts |
| Early Detection | Visible eye only | 5-7 days sooner via spectral indices |
| Cost per Acre | Labor ($20/hr) + time | Typically $5-15/acre (scalable) |
| Savings Potential | Limited by incomplete data | Up to 30% on inputs; targeted actions (e.g., one grower avoided $20k+ loss by early intervention) |
| Additional Benefits | None | Data for grants, insurance, long-term trends |
The ROI is clear: Drones pay for themselves through precise replants (avoiding unnecessary full-field work), reduced inputs, and higher yields. For a 100-acre potato operation, accurate skip detection can easily return 5-10x the service cost in saved seed, labor, and optimized production.
Ready to Stop Guessing Your Stand?
Don't leave your potato crop to chance. With drone-based multispectral imagery from Overwatch Land Mapping, you get hard data for better decisions - starting right in that critical early-season window.
Contact us today for a free consultation and book your 2026 flights. Precision starts here.
Overwatch Land Mapping – Local Precision Ag Drone Services in the Gallatin Valley, Montana