How to Use Fly Navigation Mode in Blender

Fly navigation mode in Blender allows artists to move through the 3D Viewport using fluid, aircraft-style controls similar to a flight simulator. This article explains how to switch to Fly navigation mode, default keyboard shortcuts, movement controls, and how to adjust flight speed to navigate complex 3D scenes efficiently.

Enabling Fly Navigation Mode

Blender uses "Walk" navigation by default, so you must enable "Fly" mode in the settings first:

  1. Go to Edit > Preferences from the main menu.
  2. Select the Navigation tab in the left panel.
  3. Find the View Navigation section.
  4. Change the navigation type from Walk to Fly.

After changing this setting, trigger fly mode in the 3D Viewport by pressing Shift + ` (grave accent / tilde key) or by selecting View > Navigation > Walk/Fly Navigation from the viewport menu.

Basic Flight Controls

In Fly mode, your view continuously moves in the direction your mouse points, using momentum-based controls:

  • Aim/Steer: Move the mouse to rotate your view (yaw and pitch).
  • Fly Forward: Press W or the Up Arrow.
  • Fly Backward: Press S or the Down Arrow.
  • Strafe Left: Press A or the Left Arrow.
  • Strafe Right: Press D or the Right Arrow.
  • Ascend: Press E.
  • Descend: Press Q.

Speed and Impulse Adjustments

Fly mode incorporates momentum, meaning speed builds up as you move:

  • Increase Flight Speed: Scroll the Mouse Wheel Up to boost your forward velocity.
  • Decrease Flight Speed: Scroll the Mouse Wheel Down to slow down.
  • Sprint/Boost: Hold Shift while moving to temporarily increase speed.
  • Slow Motion: Hold Alt while moving to decrease movement speed for precise framing.

Confirming or Canceling the View

  • Lock Position: Press Left Click, Enter, or Spacebar to confirm your final viewport position and exit fly mode.
  • Reset Position: Press Right Click or Esc to exit fly mode and return the camera to where it was before you started flying.