How to Remote-Mount a Thermal Scope for Spotlighting (Nocpix NOVA H35R)

Remote mounting moves your thermal off the rifle and onto your spotlight or vehicle, so you can scan a paddock without shouldering your gun and without ever disturbing your zero. The Nocpix NOVA H35R is purpose-built for this job — a screenless, batteryless thermal head that streams its image to your phone or an in-vehicle screen over WiFi. This guide explains how a remote-mount thermal works, the two ways to run a NOVA, and what you need to put a system together.

Quick answer

The NOVA H35R has no screen and no internal battery — it is a remote thermal head that sends its picture over 5GHz WiFi to a phone or screen. Mount it two ways: on the SpydaBot SCORPION 3.0 (NOVA Edition) pack — a three-axis stabilising gimbal with a torch and wireless switch — for steady handheld or rested scanning; or on the SpydaBot STING H2O, a six-leg magnetic robot that sits on your bonnet or turret and is driven by remote from inside the cab. Power comes from a 12–24V source, so it runs straight off a vehicle. You scan with the light and the screen, then pick up your already-zeroed rifle to take the shot.

What "remote mounting" actually means — and why do it

A conventional thermal scope lives on your rifle, so every time you want to look, you lift the gun. Remote mounting separates the scanning job from the shooting job: the thermal sits on the spotlight or the vehicle and feeds a screen, while your rifle stays on its rest with its zero untouched. The benefits are real:

• You scan without tiring — no holding a rifle up to sweep a hillside for an hour.
• Your zero is never at risk — the scanning device and the rifle are separate.
• Passengers can scan too — a vehicle-mounted head streams to a screen the whole cab can watch.
• It suits stationary, vehicle-based pest control — scan from the bonnet, identify, then shoot from a steady position.

Why the NOVA H35R is built for it

Most thermals are designed to be looked through. The NOVA is designed to be looked at — on a screen. It carries a 640×512 sensor on a 35mm lens and a 50Hz refresh rate that keeps moving game smooth on the display, with an integrated laser rangefinder and a Class 2 laser pointer that helps you show others exactly where you're looking in the dark. Because it has no screen or battery to protect, it's compact, rugged (IP67 sealed against dust and water) and powered from a 12–24V supply — the same kind of supply your vehicle and your spotlight already provide.

A note on range, because it matters: Nocpix quotes detection out to 1800m for the NOVA. "Detection" means a heat signature shows up on the screen — it is not the distance at which you can safely identify and shoot an animal, which is always a good deal shorter. The objective lens and sensor set how far it reaches; treat the headline figure as a scanning number, not a shooting one.

Two ways to run a NOVA

1. SpydaBot SCORPION 3.0 — stabilised scanning

The SCORPION 3.0 Ultimate Scanner Pack (NOVA Edition) is built around a three-axis stabilising gimbal that smooths out the shake when you're scanning by hand or off a rest — a big help at higher magnification where every tremor is magnified on the screen. The pack also includes a Z-Vision three-colour LED torch (red, green and white) and a wireless on/off switch so you can kill or light the torch without reaching for it. It's the pick if you scan on foot or from a static rest and want a steady picture. (The pack is the gimbal and accessories — the NOVA head itself is purchased separately.)

2. SpydaBot STING H2O — vehicle scanning

The STING H2O is a different animal: a wireless, remote-controlled robotic unit on six magnetic legs that clamp to a steel surface — typically a vehicle bonnet or turret. From inside the cab you drive the unit and watch the thermal's image on a screen, with the legs spread in a wide footprint so it holds firm even over rough ground. It's the choice for vehicle-based pest control where you want to scan from the comfort and safety of the cab. A laser-pointer setup is well worth adding — it's easy to lose your bearings at night, and a pointer keeps everyone looking at the same spot.

Powering and viewing your system

The NOVA runs on 12–24V, so a vehicle supply drives it directly. For all-night work, our Powa Beam 9" QH thermal-mount spotlight kit includes a DC-DC converter (12/24V in, USB-C out) that delivers constant power and removes battery charging from the equation entirely. Viewing is over 5GHz WiFi to a phone or tablet running the Nocpix app, or to a dedicated screen for the STING H2O setup.

What you need to build a remote-mount NOVA system

FAQ

Does the Nocpix NOVA have its own screen?

No. The NOVA is a remote head with no screen and no internal battery. It streams its image over 5GHz WiFi to your phone, tablet or an in-vehicle screen — that's central to how a remote-mount thermal works.

Can I shoot off the NOVA like a normal thermal scope?

It's a scanning tool, not a rifle sight you aim through. The usual workflow is to scan with the NOVA on its mount, then take the shot with your own already-zeroed rifle setup — which is the whole point of keeping the two jobs separate.

How do I power it in the field?

The NOVA runs on 12–24V, so it draws straight from a vehicle. For long sessions a DC-DC converter (like the one included with our Powa Beam 9" thermal-mount kit) gives constant power so you're not swapping batteries.

What's the difference between the SCORPION 3.0 and the STING H2O?

The SCORPION 3.0 is a three-axis stabilising gimbal pack for steady handheld or rested scanning. The STING H2O is a magnetic six-leg robotic unit that sits on your bonnet and is driven by remote from inside the vehicle. Pick the SCORPION for on-foot work, the STING for vehicle-based scanning.

How far can it see?

Nocpix quotes detection up to 1800m for the NOVA. That's the distance a heat signature becomes visible on screen in good conditions — the distance at which you can confidently identify an animal is considerably shorter. Use the headline number for scanning expectations, not shot placement.

Related: Nocpix NOVA H35R · SmartRest SpydaBot & mounts · Spotlights · Nocpix Australia · Thermal Monoculars · Mount a Thermal Monocular to a Spotlight · How Thermal Imaging Works