The Pigeon-Guided Missile Experiment

A Radical Concept Takes Flight

In 1943, B.F. Skinner, a renowned American psychologist, proposed an unconventional idea to aid World War II efforts: training pigeons to guide missiles. Funded by the National Defense Research Committee, Project Orcon (short for “organic control”) sought to use pigeons’ pecking skills to steer explosive payloads.

Pigeons in the Cockpit

Skinner designed a system where trained pigeons were placed inside a missile’s nose cone. A screen displayed the target, and pigeons pecked at the screen to keep the missile on course. Their movements adjusted the missile’s trajectory in real-time, creating an innovative guidance system.

Challenges and Demonstrations

Despite skepticism, Skinner trained pigeons to remarkable levels of accuracy. In demonstrations, the birds consistently hit their targets. However, concerns about reliability and the rapid development of electronic guidance systems overshadowed the project’s potential.

End of the Experiment

Project Orcon was canceled in 1944, briefly revived in 1948, and ultimately abandoned.

During World War II, psychologist B.F. Skinner proposed training pigeons to guide glide bombs. Known as Project Orcon, the idea used trained birds in a guidance system where pecking directed the bomb toward targets, offering an unconventional wartime approach.🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/wX5qvmUiML

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