Abstract Recently, Ferreira da Silva et al. [3] have performed a gradient pattern analysis of a canonical sample set (CSS) of scanning force microscopy (SFM) images of π-Si. They applied the so-called Gradient Pattern Analysis to images of three typical π-Si samples distinguished by different absorption energy levels and aspect ratios. Taking into account the measures of spatial asymmetric fluctuations they interpreted the global porosity not only in terms of the amount of roughness, but rather in terms of the structural complexity (e.g., walls and fine structures as slots). This analysis has been adapted in order to operate in a OpenGL flyby environment (the StrFB code), whose application give the numerical characterization of the structure during the flyby real time. Using this analysis we compare the levels of asymmetric fragmentation of active porosity related to different materials as π-Si and “porous diamond-like” carbon. In summary we have shown that the gradient pattern analysis technique in a flyby environment is a reliable sensitive method to investigate, qualitatively and quantitatively, the complex morphology of active nanostructures.