diff --git a/client/src/components/GroupsPanel.jsx b/client/src/components/GroupsPanel.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6f3b1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/components/GroupsPanel.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,327 @@
+import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
+import './GroupsPanel.css';
+
+const GroupsPanel = ({ turtles, apiUrl, wsUrl }) => {
+  const [groups, setGroups] = useState([]);
+  const [groupName, setGroupName] = useState('');
+  const [groupColor, setGroupColor] = useState('#3b82f6');
+  const [selectedGroup, setSelectedGroup] = useState(null);
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
+  const [message, setMessage] = useState(null);
+
+  const colorPresets = [
+    { name: 'Blue', value: '#3b82f6' },
+    { name: 'Green', value: '#10b981' },
+    { name: 'Red', value: '#ef4444' },
+    { name: 'Yellow', value: '#f59e0b' },
+    { name: 'Purple', value: '#8b5cf6' },
+    { name: 'Pink', value: '#ec4899' },
+    { name: 'Cyan', value: '#06b6d4' },
+    { name: 'Orange', value: '#f97316' },
+  ];
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    loadGroups();
+    
+    // Refresh groups every 10 seconds
+    const interval = setInterval(loadGroups, 10000);
+    return () => clearInterval(interval);
+  }, []);
+
+  const loadGroups = async () => {
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${apiUrl}/api/groups`);
+      if (response.ok) {
+        const data = await response.json();
+        setGroups(data);
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Failed to load groups:', error);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const createGroup = async (e) => {
+    e.preventDefault();
+    if (!groupName.trim()) {
+      showMessage('Please enter a group name', 'error');
+      return;
+    }
+
+    setLoading(true);
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${apiUrl}/api/groups`, {
+        method: 'POST',
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+        body: JSON.stringify({
+          groupName: groupName.trim(),
+          color: groupColor
+        })
+      });
+
+      if (response.ok) {
+        showMessage('Group created successfully!', 'success');
+        setGroupName('');
+        loadGroups();
+      } else {
+        showMessage('Failed to create group', 'error');
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      showMessage('Error creating group', 'error');
+    } finally {
+      setLoading(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const deleteGroup = async (groupId) => {
+    if (!confirm('Are you sure you want to delete this group?')) return;
+
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${apiUrl}/api/groups/${groupId}`, {
+        method: 'DELETE'
+      });
+
+      if (response.ok) {
+        showMessage('Group deleted', 'success');
+        if (selectedGroup?.groupId === groupId) {
+          setSelectedGroup(null);
+        }
+        loadGroups();
+      } else {
+        showMessage('Failed to delete group', 'error');
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      showMessage('Error deleting group', 'error');
+    }
+  };
+
+  const addTurtleToGroup = async (groupId, turtleId) => {
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${apiUrl}/api/groups/${groupId}/members`, {
+        method: 'POST',
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ turtleId })
+      });
+
+      if (response.ok) {
+        showMessage('Turtle added to group', 'success');
+        loadGroups();
+      } else {
+        showMessage('Failed to add turtle', 'error');
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      showMessage('Error adding turtle', 'error');
+    }
+  };
+
+  const removeTurtleFromGroup = async (groupId, turtleId) => {
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${apiUrl}/api/groups/${groupId}/members/${turtleId}`, {
+        method: 'DELETE'
+      });
+
+      if (response.ok) {
+        showMessage('Turtle removed from group', 'success');
+        loadGroups();
+      } else {
+        showMessage('Failed to remove turtle', 'error');
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      showMessage('Error removing turtle', 'error');
+    }
+  };
+
+  const sendGroupCommand = async (groupId, command) => {
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`${apiUrl}/api/groups/${groupId}/command`, {
+        method: 'POST',
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ command })
+      });
+
+      if (response.ok) {
+        const data = await response.json();
+        showMessage(`Command sent to ${data.sentTo} turtles`, 'success');
+      } else {
+        showMessage('Failed to send command', 'error');
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      showMessage('Error sending command', 'error');
+    }
+  };
+
+  const showMessage = (text, type) => {
+    setMessage({ text, type });
+    setTimeout(() => setMessage(null), 3000);
+  };
+
+  const getTurtleById = (turtleId) => {
+    return turtles.find(t => t.turtleID === turtleId);
+  };
+
+  const getAvailableTurtles = (groupMembers) => {
+    const memberIds = groupMembers.map(m => m.turtleId);
+    return turtles.filter(t => !memberIds.includes(t.turtleID));
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="groups-panel">
+      <div className="groups-header">
+        <h2>👥 Turtle Groups</h2>
+        <div className="group-count">{groups.length} teams</div>
+      </div>
+
+      {message && (
+        <div className={`message ${message.type}`}>
+          {message.text}
+        </div>
+      )}
+
+      {/* Create Group Form */}
+      <div className="create-group-section">
+        <h3>Create New Group</h3>
+        <form onSubmit={createGroup} className="create-group-form">
+          <input
+            type="text"
+            placeholder="Group name..."
+            value={groupName}
+            onChange={(e) => setGroupName(e.target.value)}
+            maxLength={50}
+            disabled={loading}
+          />
+          <div className="color-picker">
+            {colorPresets.map(preset => (
+              <button
+                key={preset.value}
+                type="button"
+                className={`color-option ${groupColor === preset.value ? 'active' : ''}`}
+                style={{ backgroundColor: preset.value }}
+                onClick={() => setGroupColor(preset.value)}
+                title={preset.name}
+              />
+            ))}
+          </div>
+          <button type="submit" disabled={loading || !groupName.trim()}>
+            {loading ? 'Creating...' : '➕ Create Group'}
+          </button>
+        </form>
+      </div>
+
+      {/* Groups List */}
+      <div className="groups-list">
+        {groups.length === 0 && (
+          <div className="empty-state">
+            <div className="empty-icon">👥</div>
+            <div className="empty-title">No Groups Yet</div>
+            <div className="empty-text">Create a group to organize your turtles into teams</div>
+          </div>
+        )}
+
+        {groups.map(group => (
+          <div key={group.groupId} className="group-card">
+            <div className="group-header" style={{ borderLeftColor: group.color }}>
+              <div className="group-title">
+                <div 
+                  className="group-color-indicator" 
+                  style={{ backgroundColor: group.color }}
+                />
+                <h3>{group.groupName}</h3>
+                <span className="member-count">{group.memberCount} members</span>
+              </div>
+              <button 
+                className="delete-group-btn"
+                onClick={() => deleteGroup(group.groupId)}
+                title="Delete group"
+              >
+                🗑️
+              </button>
+            </div>
+
+            {/* Group Members */}
+            <div className="group-members">
+              <h4>Members:</h4>
+              {group.members && group.members.length > 0 ? (
+                <div className="members-list">
+                  {group.members.map(member => {
+                    const turtle = getTurtleById(member.turtleId);
+                    return (
+                      <div key={member.turtleId} className="member-item">
+                        <div className="member-info">
+                          <span className="member-icon">🐢</span>
+                          <span className="member-name">
+                            {turtle?.name || `Turtle ${member.turtleId}`}
+                          </span>
+                          {turtle && (
+                            <span className="member-status" title={turtle.mode}>
+                              {turtle.mode === 'exploring' && '🔍'}
+                              {turtle.mode === 'mining' && '⛏️'}
+                              {turtle.mode === 'returning' && '🏠'}
+                              {turtle.mode === 'idle' && '💤'}
+                            </span>
+                          )}
+                        </div>
+                        <button
+                          className="remove-member-btn"
+                          onClick={() => removeTurtleFromGroup(group.groupId, member.turtleId)}
+                          title="Remove from group"
+                        >
+                          ✕
+                        </button>
+                      </div>
+                    );
+                  })}
+                </div>
+              ) : (
+                <div className="no-members">No members yet</div>
+              )}
+
+              {/* Add Member Dropdown */}
+              {getAvailableTurtles(group.members || []).length > 0 && (
+                <div className="add-member-section">
+                  <select
+                    onChange={(e) => {
+                      if (e.target.value) {
+                        addTurtleToGroup(group.groupId, parseInt(e.target.value));
+                        e.target.value = '';
+                      }
+                    }}
+                    defaultValue=""
+                  >
+                    <option value="">➕ Add turtle...</option>
+                    {getAvailableTurtles(group.members || []).map(turtle => (
+                      <option key={turtle.turtleID} value={turtle.turtleID}>
+                        🐢 {turtle.name || `Turtle ${turtle.turtleID}`}
+                      </option>
+                    ))}
+                  </select>
+                </div>
+              )}
+            </div>
+
+            {/* Group Commands */}
+            {group.members && group.members.length > 0 && (
+              <div className="group-commands">
+                <h4>Group Commands:</h4>
+                <div className="command-buttons">
+                  <button onClick={() => sendGroupCommand(group.groupId, 'explore')}>
+                    🔍 Explore
+                  </button>
+                  <button onClick={() => sendGroupCommand(group.groupId, 'mine')}>
+                    ⛏️ Mine
+                  </button>
+                  <button onClick={() => sendGroupCommand(group.groupId, 'returnHome')}>
+                    🏠 Return Home
+                  </button>
+                  <button onClick={() => sendGroupCommand(group.groupId, 'stop')}>
+                    ⏹️ Stop
+                  </button>
+                </div>
+              </div>
+            )}
+          </div>
+        ))}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+};
+
+export default GroupsPanel;