HOW TO CREATE HELICOPTER MOVEMENT IN UNITY

using UnityEngine;

[RequireComponent(typeof(Rigidbody))]
public class HelicopterController : MonoBehaviour
{
    [Header("Engine & Lift (Collective)")]
    [SerializeField] private float maxLiftForce = 45f;
    [SerializeField] private float hoverForce = 9.81f; // Counter gravity

    [Header("Directional Movement (Cyclic)")]
    [SerializeField] private float forwardSpeed = 20f;
    [SerializeField] private float strafeSpeed = 15f;
    [SerializeField] private float tiltAngle = 25f;
    [SerializeField] private float tiltSmoothSpeed = 4f;

    [Header("Yaw Steering (Rudder Pedals)")]
    [SerializeField] private float turnSpeed = 60f;

    [Header("Visual Mesh to Tilt")]
    [SerializeField] private Transform visualHull;

    private Rigidbody rb;
    private float liftInput;
    private float pitchInput;
    private float rollInput;
    private float yawInput;

    private void Awake()
    {
        rb = GetComponent<Rigidbody>();
        rb.useGravity = true;
    }

    private void Update()
    {
        // Collective: Shift (Up) / Ctrl (Down) or Space/C
        liftInput = Input.GetAxisRaw("Jump") - (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.LeftControl) ? 1f : 0f);

        // Cyclic Pitch & Roll: WASD
        pitchInput = Input.GetAxis("Vertical");
        rollInput = Input.GetAxis("Horizontal");

        // Yaw: Q and E keys
        yawInput = 0f;
        if (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.Q)) yawInput -= 1f;
        if (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.E)) yawInput += 1f;

        AnimateVisualTilt();
    }

    private void FixedUpdate()
    {
        ApplyLift();
        ApplyDirectionalThrust();
        ApplyYawRotation();
    }

    private void ApplyLift()
    {
        // Counteract standard gravity while providing additional climb/descend power
        float totalLift = (Physics.gravity.magnitude + (liftInput * maxLiftForce));
        Vector3 liftVector = Vector3.up * (totalLift * rb.mass);
        rb.AddForce(liftVector, ForceMode.Force);
    }

    private void ApplyDirectionalThrust()
    {
        Vector3 forwardThrust = transform.forward * (pitchInput * forwardSpeed);
        Vector3 lateralThrust = transform.right * (rollInput * strafeSpeed);

        rb.AddForce(forwardThrust + lateralThrust, ForceMode.Acceleration);
    }

    private void ApplyYawRotation()
    {
        float yawAmount = yawInput * turnSpeed * Time.fixedDeltaTime;
        Quaternion yawRotation = Quaternion.Euler(0f, yawAmount, 0f);
        rb.MoveRotation(rb.rotation * yawRotation);
    }

    private void AnimateVisualTilt()
    {
        if (visualHull == null) return;

        // Visual banking without altering the core physics orientation
        float targetPitch = pitchInput * tiltAngle;
        float targetRoll = -rollInput * tiltAngle;

        Quaternion targetRotation = Quaternion.Euler(targetPitch, visualHull.localEulerAngles.y, targetRoll);
        visualHull.localRotation = Quaternion.Slerp(visualHull.localRotation, targetRotation, Time.deltaTime * tiltSmoothSpeed);
    }
}