SAMS news room

Scientists behind a creative and educational tabletop game have begun their mission to bring marine robotics and technology into homes and classrooms, following a successful Crowdfunder campaign.

Ocean research charity the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) in Oban raised more than £16,000, including £3,900 from The National Lottery through Creative Scotland, to develop Drones & Droids, a game in which players use different robots to tackle a range of scenarios and disasters.

Although designed to be a fun game for all ages, Drones & Droids began life as a science outreach tool and the success of the Crowdfunder campaign means free copies of the game will be made available to selected schools in Argyll and Bute.

Drones & Droids has been developed by engineers from the Scientific Robotics Academy at SAMS who use marine robotics to monitor the ocean and coastal environments, ensuring the game is scientifically accurate.

Marine robotics engineer Dr Phil Peterson, who designed the game, said: “I'm very grateful to everyone who has supported us and spread the word. The final week of the Crowdfunder was hair-raising and we were £4,000 short, but donations and pledges started coming in from all over the world to get us over the line.

“The number of people who believed in this project gives me confidence that we've made a unique and creative tool for STEM education. I’m so thankful for that support.

“Drones & Droids is a game that stars the landscape and wildlife of Argyll, as well the technology we have at SAMS. I feel proud to be able to represent the area in this way and show people the kind of work that can be done here.”

The game has been developed in collaboration with tabletop group RookHart Games and has also had input from research-active marine scientists at SAMS.

The Crowdfunder will fund the initial production costs to bring the game to life, so SAMS can make the game available to buy from Spring 2026. This means families, gamers, environmental enthusiasts, community centres and science clubs across Scotland will have the opportunity to own their very own copy, with every penny of profit supporting the real marine robots developed and deployed by SAMS.

Julie Platt, Head of Fundraising at SAMS, said: “We are amazed and delighted to have reached our fundraising target. A massive thanks to everyone who supported our mission to bring the mystery and magic of marine robotics to curious minds everywhere. From the first pledge to the final push, every click, share, and word of encouragement helped us set sail on this adventure.

“Although we’ve reached an important milestone, there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure we complete our mission of using robotics and creativity to support learning, engagement and fun science experiences.”

Depending on what rewards they selected, campaign backers will be acknowledged on the Drones & Droids Wall of Fame, while others will get a hand-crafted Crowdfunder Edition of the game. One supporter will even receive a tour of the Scientific Robotics Academy with the scientists who work there.

Work is underway to ensure pre-release copies of the game will be available to Crowdfunder backers before Christmas.

The project was supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and their Crowdmatch initiative, which turns creative ideas and projects into reality across Scotland. Creative Scotland is the public body that supports culture andcreativity across all parts of Scotland, distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at com. Follow Creative Scotland on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Located at SAMS, the Scientific Robotics Academy is a premier hub for training, testing, monitoring and innovation in scientific robotics. The academy empowers individuals and organisations to harness the full potential of aerial, sea surface, and underwater robotic platforms, along with cutting-edge sensor technologies, enabling the collection of high-quality, reliable, and repeatable environmental data.

For more information on Drones & Droids, see: Drones and Droids | Card Game