Flying with FloatingPawnMovement in Unreal Engine: A Dronewood Dev Breakdown

When it comes to creating flying actors in Unreal Engine — from drones to hovercrafts — one of the most versatile components is the FloatingPawnMovement component.

In this blog post, I’ll break down what FloatingPawnMovement is, how it works, when to use it, and how I used it in my drone simulation game Dronewood to build a smooth, physics-aware flying experience.

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🧭 What is FloatingPawnMovement?

UFloatingPawnMovement is a lightweight movement component provided by Unreal Engine that allows basic movement of Pawns in 3D space. Unlike CharacterMovementComponent, it doesn’t rely on a capsule or gravity by default, making it ideal for:

• Drones
• Spaceships
• Hover vehicles
• Zero-gravity entities

It supports movement input (AddMovementInput), simulates acceleration/deceleration, and integrates cleanly with both Blueprints and C++.

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🧱 Setting It Up

Whether you're working in Blueprints or C++, adding FloatingPawnMovement is straightforward.

🔧 Blueprint Setup:

1. Create a new Pawn blueprint (not Character).
2. Add a FloatingPawnMovement component.
3. Add input bindings like "MoveForward", "MoveRight", and "MoveUp".
4. Use AddMovementInput(GetActorForwardVector(), AxisValue) to move.

🧠 C++ Setup:

Here’s how to wire it up in your Pawn class:

AFlyingPawn::AFlyingPawn()
{
    RootComponent = CreateDefaultSubobject<USceneComponent>(TEXT("RootComponent"));

    MeshComponent = CreateDefaultSubobject<UStaticMeshComponent>(TEXT("Mesh"));
    MeshComponent->SetupAttachment(RootComponent);

    FloatingMovement = CreateDefaultSubobject<UFloatingPawnMovement>(TEXT("FloatingPawnMovement"));
}

void AFlyingPawn::SetupPlayerInputComponent(UInputComponent* PlayerInputComponent)
{
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAxis("MoveForward", this, &AFlyingPawn::MoveForward);
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAxis("MoveRight", this, &AFlyingPawn::MoveRight);
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAxis("Ascend", this, &AFlyingPawn::MoveUp);
}

void AFlyingPawn::MoveForward(float Value)
{
    AddMovementInput(GetActorForwardVector(), Value);
}

void AFlyingPawn::MoveRight(float Value)
{
    AddMovementInput(GetActorRightVector(), Value);
}

void AFlyingPawn::MoveUp(float Value)
{
    AddMovementInput(GetActorUpVector(), Value);
}

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🚁 Real-World Use Case: Dronewood

In Dronewood, I built a fully functional drone simulation where the player controls a drone through tight obstacle-filled environments using:

• Ascend/descend
• Tilt forward/backward
• Rotate (yaw) left/right
• Speed boost for time trials

Why FloatingPawnMovement?

While physics-based movement can feel sluggish and unpredictable for this kind of gameplay, FloatingPawnMovement offered:

• Smooth, responsive input handling
• Built-in acceleration and deceleration
• Easy integration with custom rotation and tilt systems

Dronewood’s Drone Control Breakdown:

• Ascend/Descend: AddMovementInput(GetActorUpVector(), Value)
• Forward Movement: AddMovementInput(GetActorForwardVector(), Value)
• Speed Boost: Modified MaxSpeed dynamically
• Tilt Control: Adjusted the mesh's relative rotation for visual realism

// Speed boost toggle
FloatingMovement->MaxSpeed = bBoosting ? 1600.f : 800.f;

I also added a custom camera controller and collision handling logic to avoid unintended flips or drift when bouncing off obstacles.

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🧠 When Not to Use It?

• If you need full physics simulation (e.g. quadcopter thrust physics)
• If you want full character animation support
• If you need complex floor detection, jumping, or crouching (use CharacterMovementComponent instead)

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🧰 Pro Tips

• Combine with SpringArm + Camera for 3rd-person view.
• Clamp pitch/roll to avoid disorienting the player.
• Customize Acceleration, Deceleration, and MaxSpeed for arcade or sim feel.
• Use OnComponentHit events for obstacle reaction or bounce-back effects.

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📦 Final Thoughts

FloatingPawnMovement might not be as flashy as CharacterMovementComponent, but it's one of Unreal's most underappreciated tools for flying mechanics. Whether you're building a drone game like Dronewood, a sci-fi spaceship, or a magic carpet — this component gives you speed, control, and simplicity.

If you're exploring flying movement in Unreal and want tips on tilt mechanics, multiplayer sync, or custom input systems — I’d love to connect. Happy flying!

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