The No Man’s Sky Corvette autopilot is a handy feature that takes over navigation, making long-distance space travel far more convenient. Instead of manually steering across systems or carefully lining up with planets, players can activate autopilot through the quick menu and let the Corvette handle the heavy lifting. This guide explains how the system works, how to activate it, and what its current limitations are.
What Is the Corvette Autopilot in No Man’s Sky?
Autopilot is a Corvette-exclusive feature introduced in the Voyagers update. Unlike smaller ships that require full manual control, the Corvette can be programmed to follow a flight path or lock onto a planet. Once engaged, autopilot manages orientation, pulse drive, and deceleration, leaving players free to focus on planning their next steps. It’s particularly useful for traveling to distant worlds without constantly adjusting your course.
How to Activate Autopilot via Quick Menu
Using autopilot is simple and only requires a few button presses:
Enter the cockpit of your Corvette and take off.
Open the Quick Menu while in flight.
Scroll until you see the Autopilot option.
Select it to activate autopilot mode.
From here, you’ll be prompted to choose between continuing your current flight path or targeting a planet.
Autopilot Options: Stay on Course or Choose a Planet
When activating autopilot, you’ll have two navigation choices:
Stay on Course – The Corvette maintains its current heading and continues forward. This option is useful if you’ve already aligned with a destination or want to travel straight through open space without micro-managing your controls.
Choose a Planet – You can select a planet within the system. Once chosen, autopilot automatically adjusts the Corvette’s trajectory and initiates pulse drive until the ship reaches the destination.
This flexibility makes autopilot suitable for both passive cruising and direct planet-to-planet travel.
How Autopilot Navigates to Planets
If you select a planet as your destination, the Corvette will engage its pulse drive automatically and travel directly toward it. Once the ship reaches the planet’s atmosphere, the autopilot will:
Slow down automatically.
Stop just above the atmospheric layer.
Hover in orbit while waiting for you to retake manual control.
At this point, you can steer manually to enter the atmosphere and land wherever you prefer. Autopilot ensures you arrive safely without overshooting or crashing into the planet’s surface.
Limitations of Corvette Autopilot
While convenient, the system does have restrictions players should keep in mind:
Autopilot cannot perform planetary landings—you must take control once in orbit.
It is limited to destinations within the current star system.
Players still need to manually avoid hazards like asteroids or hostile ships if they appear en route.
Smaller ships do not have access to autopilot, making it a Corvette-exclusive feature.
Despite these limitations, autopilot is a powerful tool for easing long trips and saving time during exploration.
Conclusion
The No Man’s Sky Corvette autopilot makes space navigation much more manageable by allowing your ship to fly itself. By opening the quick menu, selecting autopilot, and choosing either to stay on course or target a planet, you can travel effortlessly across a system. While it won’t handle landings or interstellar jumps, it’s still a game-changing feature for Corvette pilots who want a smoother, less hands-on travel experience.